FANCY THAT... SPORT IS BACK
RACING pigeons took flight, snooker cued off and the Queen settled in for a day at the races – as sport finally returned yesterday.
Her Majesty, a devoted horse racing fan, is understood to have devoted part of her afternoon to watching the sport’s return after a 76-day hiatus.
Buckingham Palace declined to comment but other sources said she tuned in for part of ITV’s live coverage.
The long lay-off has cost the sport £50million, according to the British Horseracing Authority, and racecourses have been losing an average of £8million a month.
But yesterday it began the long road back at a 10-race meeting held behind closed doors on the all-weather track at Newcastle.
Jockeys wore faces masks and access to the course was limited.
Everyone there had to complete a medical questionnaire online, undergo a temperature check on arrival and adhere to strict social distancing rules.
British horse racing contributes around £4billion to the economy and employs 20,000 people.
There were a few teething problems yesterday but it was a big leap forward.
Martin Cruddace, chief executive of Arena Racing Company, which owns the course, said: “It’s behind us now and we have to demonstrate we can do this sport safely. I think we’re slightly fortunate because we’re not a contact sport and I think that gives us the confidence to go first.”
World number one Judd Trump kicked off snooker’s return with a 3-0 whitewash win over David Grace at the Championship League in Milton Keynes.
But pigeon racing was the first sport in England to return after lockdown eased. More than 4,000 birds belonging to members of the Barnsley Federation of Racing Pigeons raced the 90 miles back from a park in Kettering, Northants, yesterday morning to South Yorkshire.
Organiser John Greenshield, 72, watched the first birds swoop back into his coop complex one hour and 52 minutes later.
The retired miner said: “It’s like putting oxygen back into the area.”
Yesterday, also saw the first greyhound race meeting since lockdown. Im Sophie took victory in the first event at Birmingham’s Perry Barr track at 10.21am.
But it is the Sport of Kings which will continue to captivate the Queen this week.
Her horse First Receiver is a runner at Kempton today and she has three more due to compete at meetings this week.
A small consolation perhaps for the fact she will be forced to miss Royal Ascot when it is held behind closed doors later this month.