ENTENTE CORDIALE
French urge Brits to follow suit and resume action
FRANCE GALOP boss Olivier Delloye has called on Boris Johnson to follow “the French example” – and allow racing in Britain to return.
Parislongchamp stages a glittering card tomorrow after the meeting survived an 11th-hour scare on Friday night.
It will be the first action in France since Covid-19 halted the sport on March 17.
And Delloye (below), the CEO of France’s turf authority, reckons British racing can follow suit.
Delloye said: “You must not lose your fighting spirit – we do hope that the French example might be followed by other countries.
“It’s a positive sign for English racing that a country like France, with so many racecourses – and a country badly hit by the virus – can resume racing.
“It must give confidence to the English government that racing can resume there also.
“And I am sure as well of course that the British Horseracing Authority is doing great work to make this happen.
“It’s really important that the racing people – racing fans, racing professionals – stand behind the BHA, so that the industry is united.
“It’s a hard task to convince the government – the people in charge of ensuring the health and safety of the people.
“So they must feel that there is a strong support for the call.” Parislongchamp’s groundbreaking fixture tomorrow features the return of last year’s Prix du Jockey Club hero and Prix de l’arc de Triomphe third Sottsass, and the unbeaten French 2,000 Guineas favourite Victor Ludorum.
But the resumption came close to being derailed following a late challenge to the government’s ruling to permit the fixture.
The 10-heat card, with four Group races, is back on track now – thanks to President Emmanuel Macron’s intervention.
Delloye said: “The meeting is safe. Friday was a long day, a crazy day. We thought it was a done deal until everything was suddenly challenged again.
“We had to climb the mountain from the very bottom once more.”
Johnson is expected today to outline movement on lifting elements of lockdown here. The BHA want to resume racing as soon this Friday at Newcastle.
But Mark Johnston, the most successful trainer in British Turf history, is not holding his breath.
He said: “The rumour is the lifting of restrictions is not going to be that great.
“I don’t know if that will change over the weekend.”