RACING CLEAR TO CARRY ON

RACING will continue behind closed doors — despite Britain’s return to COVID-19 lockdown next week.

At a press conference yesterday afternoon, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the resumption of lockdown measures from Thursday in a bid to tackle the rising infection rate.

But racing, as an elite sport, will carry on despite the imposition on of restrictions.

“Racing is categorised as an elite sport and has in place strict government-agreed protocols, which have been brilliantly observed by our participants and attendees,” BHA chief executive Nick Rust (left) said yesterday.

“We have been monitoring racing since June and have seen no evidence of transmission of the virus at any of our near 500 events. Racing has co continued Wales and behind other closed nations doors which in have enacted lockdowns.”

The virus caused racing to cease on March 17, but the sport h has continued uninterrupted sinc since it recommenced on June 1. THE New One, winner of the Ballymore Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2013 and third in the Champion Hurdle the following March, has died after suffering an attack of colic.