Horse racing will continue behind closed doors despite the rest of the UK in a virtual sporting shutdown.
The British Horseracing Authority yesterday announced its plans to continue racing with a skeleton number of people at racecourses.
But a press conference by Prime Minister Boris Johnson last night, which advised against “non-essential” contact and places like pubs and theatres, paved the way for a series of cancellations.
The Grand National, due to take place on April 4, was cancelled so too the Boat Race for later this month.
But today the BHA reiterated that racing scheduled for both Taunton and Wetherby today would be going ahead behind closed doors as planned.
In Pictures | Tiger Roll wins the 2019 Grand National
In Pictures | Tiger Roll wins the 2019 Grand National
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Tiger Roll and Davy Russell will bid for a record breaking third successive National win
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A spokesman for the BHA said that, “as it stands, racing goes ahead today” but warned a U-turn could yet be performed by the sport’s cross-industry steering group in due course.
The BHA have previously said in a statement yesterday: “Racing industry leaders have confirmed a plan to continue racing behind closed doors from tomorrow. Any fixtures that take place in England, Wales and Scotland, initially until the end of March, will take place without spectators and with restrictions on the number of attendees.”
In addition, the Dubai World Cup is scheduled to go ahead as planned on March 28 but “without paid hospitality spectators”. Dubai Racing Club said in a statement: “Only horse connections, racing officials, accredited media and sponsors will be permitted entry”.
Meanwhile, in the United States, organisers of the Kentucky Derby are set to announce that part one in Triple Crown will be postponed from its May 2 date until September 5 because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Only once in its history has the race not been run on its traditional date of the first Saturday in May in 1945 when it was delayed by a month because of World War II.
