Training centres ready for the off

HORSES from Britain’s two main training centres will not lack for fitness when racing resumes.

Around 4,000 thoroughbreds use the gallops at Lambourn and Newmarket.

And Will Riggall, the Jockey Club operations manager at Lambourn said: “The Lambourn horses will be fit and raring to go when the trainers get the go-ahead.

“People are ready. They want to be up and running and hit the ground running, as it were.”

More than 800 horses use the Jockey Club gallops at Lambourn and another 700 are trained in the surrounding area.

But Riggall (above) expects the numbers will be reduced following the coronavirus outbreak that brought racing to a halt on March 17.

“We think Lambourn (numbers) will be hit more than Newmarket,” said Riggall. “We’ve got a much different owner demographic here.

“However, it is noticeable on the gallops that the jumps horses are coming back slowly and are now out cantering.

“Obviously, racing is a huge rural employer and is a big economy in these parts. Everybody is just hopeful there is a prompt and swift resumption when the time is right.”

At Newmarket, where more than 3,000 horses are trained, the majority for Flat racing, Colin Driver, Jockey Club gallops manager, has no doubts that trainers have their teams ready.

“Trainers have been keeping their horses fit during the social distancing.” said Driver, who is part of the team that look after the 50 miles of turf gallops.

“They are all ready and now it’s just waiting for the government to decide when racing can return.”