COVID continues to cast a shadow over racing It seemed racing had been in for some good news, as last month it was announced that there would be a plan put forward to see some small numbers in attendance at a number of different meetings in the UK. The initial numbers put out had been to have around 5,000 spectators attend, but with growing infection numbers in the country and recent changes to the rule of six, it seems these COVID pilot cards have had to make some adjustments. The first trial in the UK was in Doncaster for the St Leger meeting last month which saw more than 2,500 spectators buy tickets for the opening day of the four day fixture on the Wednesday. This was the first racing event held with a crowd since Cheltenham at the end of March but it wasn’t without some concern given the government’s new guidance around crowds. In a quick turnaround however, local health officials asked for the racecourse to stop allowing spectators to attend after the opening day. Arena Racing Company which runs the racecourse have said that having no fans in attendance for the remaining four days cost the company somewhere in the ballpark of £250,000. In a statement, Mark Spincer, the managing director of Arena’s racing division said “This isn’t just a blow for racing, it’s sport. It’s going to make it slower and harder for everyone to get back, but we have to follow the advice”. Ireland had raced behind closed doors since its return on June 8 but took tentative steps towards normality with the welcome addition of two owners per horse from September 21. Unfortunately, as the country is about to move from Level 2 to Level 3 of the government’s latest restrictions protocols owners are once again unable to attend as only essential personnel are permitted at sporting events. Bad news for one is good news for another however as online bookmakers have been relishing the increasing numbers as fans remain at home. It has been suggested that those watching from the comfort of their own home are more likely to bet, and to bet bigger numbers than ever before which has been supported in other genres as the high limit slots and card games for online casinos have reported similar increases. The racecourses and on-course bookmakers have been some of the worst hit within the racing community by Covid. The racecourses have been carrying on without paying customers as their costs have increased significantly as they adhere to strict guidelines to ensure the safety of those in attendance while the on-course layers have not been permitted to work since March. There is some good news for both of these sectors of the industry in Ireland as NPHET has advised the Irish government to allow horse racing to continue all the way up to Level 5 lockdown and the on-course bookmakers are pencilled in for a return to the track when Level 3 eases to Level 2 which could be as soon as early November.
