Racing ready for impact

ARENA Racing Company’s chief executive Martin Cruddace believes British racing could go behind closed doors ‘within 48 hours’ as a result of the escalating coronavirus outbreak.

The British Horseracing Authority has followed Government guidance throughout as the pandemic has spread – and the Cheltenham Festival therefore took centre stage last week as scheduled, featuring significantly increased hygiene facilities and multiple hand sanitiser stations for racegoers.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Thursday that, although Britain was officially moving into the delay phase to mitigate against coronavirus infection, there was no need yet to suspend major sports events.

However, a different stance was taken in both Ireland and Scotland - with Governments there introducing bans on mass outdoor gatherings of 500 people or more - and the rest of the UK could soon follow suit.

ARC owns 16 British racecourses, including Uttoxeter, which staged the Midlands Grand National on Saturday.

Cruddace said it was not impossible that racing could take place behind closed doors in Britain up to the end of June, a period which not only includes the Aintree Grand National meeting, which is due to be held on April 2-4, but several other high-profile events like the Guineas Festival at Newmarket, the Derby at Epsom and Royal Ascot.

“We are outliers with other parts of the racing world, but I think it’s only right that we should be prepared for an imminent change and my own personal view is it could be within 48 hours,” said Cruddace.

“We’re planning, worst case scenario, end of June. It is absolutely possible we won’t race again in front of a crowd until the end of June.”