RUST HAILS £ 40M AID

RACING yesterday welcomed a stop- gap £ 40million government loan to address the financial damage inflicted by the coronavirus crisis.

But despite the

£ 300million of grants and loans to 11 sports, bosses warned Downing Street that racecourses face closure unless crowds return to the track within three months.

British Horseracing Authority chief executive Nick Rust

( right), who expects the COVID- 19 cost to racing to reach

£ 300million by the end of the year, said: “This will help us to get through the winter.

“The support for racing recognises the sport’s position as the second biggest spectator sport in the UK and the financial peril faced by the tens of thousands who depend upon racing for their livelihoods.”

But Rust urged the government to consider

“the return of betting shops when it’s safe for nonessential retail to return” and added: “The biggest help to us will be the path back to the safe return of spectators.”

Rust’s words were echoed by Racecourse Association CEO David Armstrong, who warned: “If we get to February and March time, and there is no real progress on getting spectators back, then life starts to get very tough for racecourses.

“The £ 40million will help the sport through a very difficult period, but the pressure from my point of view is still very much to get a plan together to get crowds back.” PRESENTING PERCY returned to winning form at Thurles yesterday for trainer Gordon Elliott and was cut from 33- 1 to 16- 1 for the Cheltenham Gold Cup with Betfair.