Iconic Grand National axed as sport cull continues
Britain’s iconic horse race and betting bonanza, the Grand National, has been cancelled as the coronavirus pandemic further devastated the nation’s sporting calendar on Monday.
The Jockey Club announced the news hours after the British government ramped up its response to the health crisis sweeping the world.
“Following the government’s new public health guidance regarding avoiding social contact and stopping nonessential travel, and its statement that emergency services are withdrawn from supporting mass gatherings, the Jockey Club has decided it is no longer appropriate to stage the event,” it said.
The festival, first staged in 1839, was due to be held from April 2 to April 4 at the Aintree course near Liverpool, where Tiger Roll would have been going for an unprecedented hattrick of victories.
Not just a wildly unpredictable horse race that attracts punters who never usually place a bet, the gathering is one of the highlights of the British social calendar, with thousands, descending on the course near Liverpool to wine and dine and try their luck.
Monday completed an almost clean sweep of British sporting fixtures cancelled or postponed because of the coronavirus outbreak, which has killed 55 people so far in the country and more than 7,000 around the world.
The University Boat Race held on the River Thames, also something of an institution, was cancelled for the first time since World War 2. “Given the unprecedented situation our country and each of us as individuals faces, the public good far outweighs all other considerations,” Robert Gillespie, chair of The Boat Race Company, said.
HUGE BLOW
The Premier League and Football League seasons have been suspended, as has rugby.
The cancellation of the Grand National is a huge blow to British horse racing and to the betting industry, which enjoys one of its busiest days at Aintree.
In 2019 an estimated £300m was wagered on the 7km slog featuring 30 fences — including the brutal Becher’s Brook, The Chair and the Canal Turn. About 500-million people tune in to watch the race.
Earlier on Monday, the British Horseracing Authority announced that all racing in Britain would take place only behind closed doors from Tuesday.
The Jockey Club said it considered holding the race without fans on the course but that was no longer viable.
“The Grand National Festival was just three weeks away and it’s very clear to us it will not be possible for the event to take place,” Sandy Dudgeon, senior steward of the Jockey Club, said.
“Public health must come first. We were working on a plan to stage the Grand National behind closed doors, given its importance to the racing industry and beyond, but after the new government measures confirmed this evening to help tackle the coronavirus outbreak, this is not a viable option.
“I know this is hugely disappointing news for the many people who work in our sport and the millions who were looking forward to this year’s event, but sadly these are exceptional times and this is the responsible thing to do.”
IN 2019 AN ESTIMATED £300M WAS WAGERED ON THE 7KM SLOG AND ABOUT 500-MILLION PEOPLE TUNED IN TO WATCH THE RACE