Race day hope for this month
Racing could return to Ayr before the end of the month with closed- doors action poised to take place at the Craigie track.
Subject to Scottish Government approval, Ayr will stage a fixture on Monday June 22.
It would become the first track in Scotland to host a meeting since lockdown.
The British Horseracing Authority has allocated the course a total of seven race days through to August 24.
Professional sport could return to Ayr before the end of the month with behind closed doors racing poised to take place on the Auld Toon’s famous racecourse.
Subject to Scottish Government approval, Ayr will stage a fixture on Monday June 22 and become the first track in Scotland to host a meeting since lockdown.
The British Horseracing Authority has allocated the Craigie course a total of seven race days in June, July and August and these are Monday June 20, Monday July 6, Tuesday July 14, Monday July 20, Tuesday July 28, Wednesday August 5 and Monday August 24.
All of these fixtures will be run behind closed doors and Ayr Racecourse Managing Director David Brown said : “The proposed fixtures for Scottish Racecourses published by the BHA are obviously dependent on the Scottish Government agreeing to lifting restrictions in Phase 2 of their route map out of lockdown which includes provision for racing behind closed doors.
“We are delighted to be scheduled to stage the first race meeting since lockdown in Scotland with strict procedures in place to ensure the safety of all the participants horses, jockeys and racing staff.”
Numbers in attendance to make such a race day possible while adhering strictly to health and safety guidelines and of course social distancing will be kept to a minimum and include trainers, vets, doctors, paramedics, security personnel, jockeys, valets and BHA and racecourse officials.
Field sizes will be limited to 12 runners and I’d expect to see leading Scottish trainers including Keith Dalgleish, Iain Jardine, Jim Goldie, Mike Smith, Alistair Whillans and Linda Perratt to have runners along with north of England based handlers like Richard Fahey, Michael Dods and Roger Fell.
Clerk of the course and Head Groundsman at Ayr, Graeme Anderson, will ensure the track is in pristine condition as the sport of kings returns to Craigie for the first time since March 7.
Entries for the opening meeting will be made on June 16 with horses descaled to run by 10am on June 19.
I can’t wait to see horses back in action on the famous turf and hopefully we will be given the go ahead to allow spectators through the doors in time for the Ayr Gold Cup Festival in September.
Racing returned at Newcastle on Monday with a bumper 10 race card and there will be Classic action at Newmarket this week with the 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas being staged.
There is also a Group 3 sprint at Newcastle tomorrow ( Thursday) and Keith Dalgleish runs two in this with Aberama Gold And Glasvegas lining up.
The former won a Class 2 six furlongs nursery handicap at Ayr last September before landing a York Listed contest.
This colt will have Shane Gray in the saddle and could give his connections a great restart to the season.