'Completely safe': Warwick members relish pilot but fears grow over wider return

Spectators toasted being back on a British racecourse for only the second time since March on Monday, describing Warwick's pilot event as “absolutely safe”, but fears grew over the prospects for a wider return of crowds to the sport.

Prime minister Boris Johnson will make a statement in the House of Commons on Tuesday in response to a rapid increase in Covid-19 cases and, along with the nation, racing is waiting to learn what the implications for life and the sport might be.

On Monday evening the UK's chief medical officers said the coronavirus alert level should be raised from level 3 to 4, meaning transmission is "high or rising exponentially".

Warwick’s pilot meeting welcomed 454 spectators, made up of 150 annual members, 124 in hospitality and 180 owners, and was widely considered a success, but general manager Andre Klein said: “It’s difficult to anticipate how the situation unfolds from here and it’s a question we’re all asking.

"Hopefully today convinces the right people that, when the time comes, crowds can come back and this can help speed up that process. It’s been so important to stage this raceday, as otherwise the process would be even more delayed if a future lockdown is enforced. The situation is so unpredictable though and government may take the opinion further pilots should go ahead.

“You have to worry about all sports, including racing, if they stay behind closed doors for the foreseeable future. It would have massive implications, but it’s the same for almost every industry in the world.”

Postcode checks for those attending, one-way systems and social distancing protocols were among the safety procedures in place at the West Midlands track, with around 30 annual members unable to attend due to local restrictions where they live, but they were replaced with other members.

Among those annual members was Oxfordshire-based Nick Hoskins, who was on course for the first time since Taunton’s meeting on March 9 and felt the current Covid-19 climate was going to make it “harder and harder” for spectators to attend.

Hoskins, who has been going to Warwick for nearly 60 years, said: “I like to see the horses and have a bet and I can do all of that today. Everybody has been sensible and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it. The only place I have been going is the supermarket on a Thursday, which is pretty empty as well, and it’s very similar with nobody close to you and it’s absolutely safe.

“The sooner we can get a few more people in the better but the rising cases is an obvious concern. It’s going to make it harder and harder for us to come racing and it’s disastrous for the racecourses and bookmakers, for whom this Covid situation could potentially be terminal.

“I shall be very sorry to see any racecourse go and if this situation carries on until Christmas and beyond then I can’t see anyway around it. It’s a sad situation.”

Two racegoers enjoy the sun at WarwickCredit: Edward Whitaker

William Creasey has attended meetings at Warwick for four decades and hopes the government does not take action to keep racing behind closed doors.

Creasey, from Kettering, said: “It’s felt wonderfully safe and the one-way systems have worked well. I’m just hoping we’re able to come along through the season. The rise in cases is the big problem and who knows what the government is going to do. If it goes behind closed doors again then so be it, but I’m hoping it doesn’t.”

Husband and wife Robert and Patricia King, who live locally, were attending their first social event since lockdown and described the raceday as “completely safe”.

Patricia King said: “We’re hoping crowd attendance gets going again this season as we’ve missed it and feel the whole country has to move forward somehow. It’s felt completely safe – it’s been perfect.”

Mick Quinn trained his first jumps winner with Pink Sheets in division two of the 2m handicap hurdle, but the former Coventry City and Newcastle United legend said going racing without a crowd was soulless.

Quinn said: “It’s great to have a crowd back – you can’t have meetings without horses but it’s just not the same without people. I just hope this is the start of crowds returning but we need to get a grip of this pandemic.

“It’s soulless otherwise and it’s the same situation with football. It’s just not the same.”

A racegoers uses the hand sanitiser dispenser outside the entranceCredit: Edward Whitaker

Klein described the pilot event as a “small step back to reality” and felt spectators adhered extremely well to the raceday protocols.

He said: “The day is going to be judged on whether it was safe and I’m sure people would say that's the case.

“It’s a small step back to reality and we’ve learned you can run a raceday safely, in the same way a tourist attraction or hospitality event can. You can put as much signage around and protocols as you want, but you still rely on your customers and they have been great.”

Read more if you were interested in this . . .

'There will not be anywhere safer' – Warwick ready to welcome back racegoers

Warwick Q&A: what racegoers can expect at the pilot scheme on Monday

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