Horseracing knocks back test event with spectators

RACING has declined the opportunity to stage a test event with spectators next month because there is no meeting scheduled that fits the UK Government’s criteria and timetable.

The Racecourse Association have held lengthy talks with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport over the last few weeks, but have been unable to reach an agreement given the tight timetable for lockdown easing and racing’s set-in-stone fixture list.

The Grand National meeting at Aintree next week had been proposed, but the Government judged it to be too early as it takes place before the next nationwide easing in England on April 12, while the Boodles May Festival at Chester is too late.

The Government want the initial round of test events in England to be completed at least a fortnight before step three of their roadmap on May 17, when it is hoped crowds of up to 4,000 will be permitted at outdoor venues and 10,000 at large stadiums. Racing is therefore set to miss out on staging test events, but officials are lobbying for courses to be designated as stadiums rather than outdoor venues.

Such a move would be a major boost for the sport because it would enable 10,000 spectators to attend each day of the Derby meeting at Epsom on June 4-5.

Thanks to three prior successful pilot events, racing officials are confident they have sufficient Covid-secure protocols in place to begin operating immediately. While talks between various stakeholders and the Government remain ongoing, sport’s first test event is expected to be one of the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley on the weekend of April 17-18, followed by the Carabao Cup final there on April 25.