It's five years since racing shut down in Britain due to the Covid pandemic - and the effects are still being felt says the BHA

Acting BHA chief executive Brant Dunshea has warned that racing in Britain is still feeling the effects of the pandemic as it marked the fifth anniversary of the shutdown due to Covid.

It was on March 17, 2020 that the sport ground to a halt after the completion of fixtures at Taunton and Wetherby, which were staged behind closed doors although each attracted significant media attention due to growing awareness of the public health crisis.

No fixtures took place from that date until racing resumed at Newcastle on June 1. The sport continued under tight restrictions for many months afterwards, with no racegoers allowed and an ad hoc fixture list. There was no Grand National run that year, while the dates of the Guineas and Derby meetings were shifted.

There was huge media interest in racing behind closed doors at WetherbyCredit: David Carr

"The period of lockdown and racing’s subsequent return to action was an unprecedented period of challenge for the sport," Dunshea said.

"As the result of an immensity of effort from the teams at the BHA and across the sport in developing safe resumption of racing protocols, and the effectiveness of our engagement with government, racing was ultimately given the green light to be the first sport to return to competition once restrictions were lifted.

"This was a time when the sport showed what it is capable of when it pulls together in times of adversity."

Racing took place at Wetherby on the final day before the sport shut down Credit: David Carr

The BHA's chief medical adviser Jerry Hill was a key link with the government during the Covid shutdown and was awarded an MBE for services to British racing during the pandemic.

Bringing racing back after two and a half months was seen as a triumph and Dunshea said: "The swift return to action and the continuation of racing during further national and regional lockdowns secured much-needed funding and ensuring jobs, livelihoods and horse welfare was safeguarded.

"Despite this, the economic impact of the pandemic on all areas of the racing industry was significant, with over £400million in lost industry revenues. Government support through the Sports Winter Survival Package was vitally important in mitigating the impact, as were other schemes such as furlough, business rates relief and income support for the self-employed, but that £21m loan must be paid back by the Levy Board on behalf of the sport, meaning the effects of what happened five years ago are still being felt to this day."

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