Doncaster willing to stage pilot event despite £250,000 hit last year

Officials at Doncaster will not be put off staging another spectator pilot event before the UK government's May 17 target for the reopening of sporting venues in England, despite the anguish and cost of the aborted trial at last year's St Leger meeting.

The Arena Racing Company-owned track suffered an estimated financial hit of £250,000 last September when the planned four-day pilot was stopped after just one day due to a rise in the rate of Covid-19 infections in the local area.

However, with the return of paying customers paramount to racecourses after nearly a year of behind-closed-doors fixtures, Doncaster has joined other tracks in getting behind a push for test events, which are scheduled to begin in April at the earliest.

Rachel Harwood, executive director at Doncaster, said: "As we know from last year, it can be brilliant and not so brilliant, but we wouldn't be put off staging another pilot.

"If anything, having been through it, we've got more experience and knowledge to know what to be ready for and what's asked of us. We know what level of comfort customers are looking for when they come back and know we can be safe.

"We'll be guided by DCMS [Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport] and from my understanding that will come in April. I think they are starting with football, but we got the pilots away here and at Warwick last year, so we'll have to see how that works out."

Doncaster counts cost of £250,000 hit as return of spectators lasts just one day

In the region of 2,500 people attended the opening day of last year's St Leger meeting but that figure was set to rise throughout the remaining three days, with a sellout crowd of 5,000 booked for St Leger day on the Saturday.

The track has four fixtures – April 23, 24 and May 1, 15 – that might be suitable for a pilot this time.

The government has set out May 17 for a return of limited attendance to sports stadia in England, with an ambition for sports and cultural gatherings to resume from June 21. Prime minister Boris Johnson has stressed the easing of the lockdown will be governed by "data not dates".

Rachel Harwood: executive director at Doncaster racecourseCredit: Doncaster Racecourse

"We're planning for everything based on the deadlines and will follow the route map that has been set out," said Harwood. "Touch wood, we'll be able to have people back as quickly and as safely as possible.

"Everyone wants to get people racing again. We're more confident than ever that this year's Leger will be all singing and dancing after last year's false start."

Goodwood has emerged as another course ready to hold test events, despite suffering its own past disappointment when racing's first crowd pilot was cancelled at less than 24 hours' notice last summer.

Meanwhile, Chester has submitted a plan to the relevant authorities for up to 5,000 spectators on each of the three days of its prestigious May meeting at the start of the month.

Read more on this subject:

Crowds closer to racecourse return as Chester eyes May meeting for trial run (Members' Club)

Hopes of 'near-normal racedays' as Epsom and York prepare to welcome back crowds (Members' Club)

Trainers and bookies join call for National to be run once betting shops are open

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