BHA reveals potential big-race schedule if racing is able to resume in May

Two blockbuster weekends of action to end the month could be in store for racing under tentative proposals put forward by the BHA as part of resumption planning.

The "best-case scenario" plans, developed by a sub-group of the Flat Pattern Committee, involve the running of several high-profile stakes races in the lead-up to the first Classics of the season, the Qipco 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas, on the first weekend in June.

The release of the potential schedule comes on the same day the BHA's chief medical adviser Dr Jerry Hill and his counterparts from other leading sports met government officials to discuss how action could safely return when receiving appropriate approval from ministers.

Should racing be cleared to resume by the middle of the month, a number of the races deemed most important will take place on the weekend of May 23-24 and May 30-31 and most likely be restricted to domestic runners only.

The first weekend will feature salvaged contests including the Craven Stakes, Nell Gwyn, Brigadier Gerard and Sagaro Stakes, with the likes of the Lockinge, Yorkshire Cup, Dante and Middleton Stakes taking place the following weekend.

Provisional plan for the last two weekends in May

Weekend 1 – May 23-24
Pavilion (6f, 3yo, Group 3)

Weekend 2 – May 30-31
Lockinge (1m, 4+, Group 1)

Provisional plan for the first weekend of June

2,000 Guineas (1m, 3yo, c&f, Group 1)
1,000 Guineas (1m, 3yo, f, Group 1)
Coronation Cup (1m4f, 4+, Group 1)
Pretty Polly (1m2f, 3yo, f, Listed)

In an update to stakeholders, the BHA said: "Under our best-case scenario planning, and subject to advice from public health authorities, the aim is to rescue a number of lost events from the early part of the spring and stage them during the second half of May and early June, if possible.

"It is possible that the races may not be staged at their traditional venues and may need to be hosted at alternative racecourses. Again, this is dependent on wider circumstances, the available fixtures and the public health guidance in place at the time.

"It is also likely that racing will be restricted to domestic runners only, initially at least until May 30, in line with a similar approach taken by other international racing jurisdictions.

"We must emphasise that this provisional plan is based on our best-case scenario and may need to be adjusted according to when and under what circumstances racing is safely able to recommence."

Anthony Van Dyck (left) wins last year's Lingfield Derby TrialCredit: Edward Whitaker

While a number of prominent races would be saved, the Lingfield Derby and Oaks Trials, which provided Epsom winners Anthony Van Dyck and Anapurna last year, will not take place, while neither will the likes of the Duke of York Stakes, Temple Stakes, Sandown Mile, Ormonde Stakes and the National Stakes for two-year-olds.

A “constructive” meeting took place between DCMS officials and medical representatives from a range of sports on Friday with culture minister Oliver Dowden, who introduced the meeting, saying the move marked a “step up” to resumption planning.

He wrote on Twitter: “I know [the country] desperately wants sport back on. We just kicked off [the first] of many detailed meetings to plan for a safe return of elite sport behind closed doors when and only when, it is safe to do so on the basis of expert medical advice. Lots to consider, but today we step up planning.”

Representatives from football, rugby union, cricket, racing and funding body UK Sport were present alongside DCMS figures and Public Health England (PHE).

Oliver Dowden MP: 'Lots to consider, but today we step up planning'

A DCMS spokesperson said: "We held an initial, constructive meeting with medical representatives from a number of professional and elite sports bodies, government and PHE to step up planning on what may need to be done so that athletes could return to training, when it is deemed safe to do so.

“This would be ahead of any return to competitive top-level sport which would only happen when medical experts advise that this can be done safely. Discussions with the sports bodies will continue on this."

On Friday, there were a further 739 deaths from Covid-19 in the United Kingdom, bringing the total figure for fatalities in all settings to 27,510.

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