Goodwood confident of hosting spectators for start of summer

Goodwood is preparing to welcome back crowds this summer, and hopes to start with the first meeting at the end of April, despite the Government having dashed similar hopes at the start of August last year.

The picturesque track on the West Sussex Downs took a big financial hit when a pilot scheme of a 5,000 crowd for its Stewards’ Cup climax to the five-day glorious meeting on Aug 1 was cancelled the day before by government over fears of a second wave of the pandemic.

Adam Waterworth, Goodwood’s managing director, said: “We are planning for everything and hoping for the best this year.

“We’re confident we’ll be able to have a crowd at the start of the season, which for us is April 30, but we are, of course, in the hands of the Government.

“You have to be positive and I’m absolutely certain we will have racegoers at Goodwood this season – and certain we will have them by the first meeting.”

Waterworth stressed all plans were subject to the latest government rules, with racing working closely with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to keep going during lockdown.

Goodwood anticipates crowds at the early meetings being restricted, with social distancing in keeping with the few sporting events that had crowds for a short time in November, before the second lockdown.

Ascot will not be welcoming back the pre-pandemic 50,000-plus crowds to the Royal Meeting in June, whatever the next five months have in store. Ascot raced behind closed doors for the five days of the Royal Meeting last June and it does so for a jump meeting tomorrow.

Nick Smith, director of racing and public affairs at Ascot, said: “We hope to have a meaningful crowd [for Royal Ascot], but will have a clearer idea in April and May.

“There will be very little temporary facilities this year, building work will be minimal whatever. We have not contracted anything at the moment and it will be pared back to the bone.

“We will be watching closely what happens at Cheltenham, Aintree and Newmarket, and we could scale up fairly late if necessary, but it is going to be a case of a seven-figure loss in the best-case scenario.”

Newmarket has the likes of Tom Jones, Bryan Ferry and Mcfly booked for its racing and music nights this summer, with The Script due to start on June 18, with refundable online bookings available.