Wait goes on, but vaccine is offering hope

LIKE many businesses, we remain in limbo regarding the rest of 2021.

It’s difficult to know when race meeting trials with spectators will take place and it’s even harder to work out when significant numbers of racegoers will be allowed through our entrance gates.

The Covid rate per 100,000 people in Carmarthenshire needs to drop to less than 150 for crowd trials to be considered. Thankfully, the vaccination programme currently under way can only help.

It means decisions about pricing of tickets and hospitality will have to be delayed until we have a clearer picture of what’s likely to happen, and it’s also hard to know whether to book any raceday entertainment.

But it’s important for us to remember that compared to the huge challenges created by the pandemic across the globe, our situation could be far worse. At least racing is taking place, which generates revenue for racecourses, owners, trainers and suppliers to the industry.

Racing behind closed doors is limited to attendees absolutely critical to the running of the fixture, which means around 200 people. Our next meeting is this Friday, with all the races live on Sky Sports Racing. There are also two meetings next month on February 4 and 11.

While we race without spectators, we are offering great-value prices to name our races. There is a sizeable TV audience on Sky if you have a business looking for exposure for your product. If you would like to have a chat about the options, contact me at srowlands@ffoslasracecourse.com

The viewing figures on ITV Racing for the Coral Welsh Grand National at Chepstow were strong.

The Opening Show averaged at 220,000 with a peak of 297,000. In the afternoon it was the sixth most-watched non-terrestrial programme, with an average of 544,000 and a 5.7 per cent audience share.

This is clearly great promotion for Welsh sport.

Sean Bowen has established himself as the leading Welsh rider this season and last week rode his 51st winner of the campaign when Pennyforapound won at Bangor for trainer Rebecca Curtis.

Finally, we are working on plans for a virtual Cheltenham Festival Preview Evening. Once further details are confirmed, I’ll update readers via this column, on our website and on social media.