PRINTING STOPS AT RACING POST

RACING POST bosses last night announced the trade paper is “temporarily suspending publication” after today’s edition.

Sales took a hit when the coronavirus pandemic caused the suspension of racing in Britain on March 17, with Ireland following suit a week later.

And last Friday, the Government ordered the temporary closure of betting shops – along with places of public entertainment – in a bid to combat the spread of COVID-19. With Irish racing cancelled until April 19 at the earliest – and the sport in Britain in abeyance until May at least – Post staff were informed of the news yesterday.

In a letter to the paper’s readers, editor Tom Kerr said: “It is with great sadness that following Thursday’s edition, the Racing Post will be temporarily suspending publication.

“Unfortunately, with racing in Britain and Ireland halted, betting shops closed, and governments urging everyone to stay at home as much as possible to slow the spread of the coronavirus, we have been left with no other choice.”

But Kerr vowed the newspaper will return – the digital platforms will continue to publish – once the crisis is past its worst.

“At some point in the coming weeks or months, horseracing will resume,” he added.

“When racing is back, the newspaper will be back as well.”

Coronavirus presents Irish racing with its “greatest challenge”, the sport’s rulers warned yesterday. Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s announcement on Tuesday that all sport – including that held behind closed doors – was to be cancelled, has placed Irish racing’s marquee events in jeopardy.

“We are very aware that the thousands of people in our industry are facing into a great deal of uncertainty over the coming weeks and months,” said Horse Racing Ireland chairman Nicky Hartery.

“This is perhaps our greatest challenge but, working together, we will come through this.”