BACK IN THE SADDLE
ON ANY normal afternoon, a midweek meeting at Plumpton would hardly register a flicker on the Richter Scale.
But Wednesday, February 13, 2019 was no ordinary day.
With the British Horseracing Authority taking the dramatic decision to lock down more than 170 yards last week after six equine flu cases were discovered at the Donald McCain yard in Cheshire and four more at Simon Crisford’s stables in Newmarket, racing was forced to take a six-day sabbatical. Thankfully, after a nervous wait, racing was back in business yesterday, with meetings at Musselburgh, Plumpton, Southwell and Kempton.
And while the racing was not exactly at Cheltenham Festival level, for all concerned, including Plumpton’s leading trainer Gary Moore, being back in action was a massive relief.
“It had to be given the go-ahead,” said Moore. “I can’t believe we got into this situation, to be perfectly honest.
“I’m glad we are back, because it seemed a bit drastic. Meetings like this and those at Fontwell and Lingfield are our bread-and-butter meetings, and ones where we often have winners, so they mean more when they are called off.
“We are not all lucky enough to have good horses that can always run at big meetings – and these types of meetings are good for us.”
For some jockeys, the break was an opportunity to take an unplanned midseason holiday, but the decision made late on Monday night by the BHA to get racing back on the road again was welcomed with open arms in the weighing room.
After Gorgeous General won the 2pm at Southwell, 10 minutes later Aidan Coleman was welcomed into the winner’s enclosure, the first scorer on the card at Plumpton, on Acey Milan.
“That’s great to be back with a winner and be paid for something you enjoy doing,” said Coleman, who, as a freelance, only earns an income when he has a ride.
“OK, I’ve lost six days earnings. It’s difficult to put a figure on it because I did not know what horses I would have ridden, and I don’t know if they would have won.
“Last year we lost more meetings because of weather than this latest issue, so things could be a lot worse.”