'It'll be a very different experience' - 850 tickets on sale for May 17 raceday

Tickets have gone on sale for Redcar's fixture on May 17 – the day spectators are due to be allowed back on British racecourses.

Officials at the track are preparing to welcome back spectators in a phased return, providing the government's roadmap out of the Covid-19 lockdown continues to remain on track.

Redcar will operate at a limited capacity, with those arrangements remaining in place for its following fixtures, including Zetland Gold Cup day on May 31.

General manager Amy Fair said: "We've really missed having our spectators with us and we can't wait to welcome them back.

"With the operation of the green zone for key personnel, we're restricted in the areas people can access and we're working with a figure of around 850 tickets for general admissions.

"We're really looking forward to seeing people on racedays again, but it'll be a very different experience to what people are used to.

"Obviously, we have to be conscious that government regulations can change at any time but, as things stand, we're planning for a phased return with safety continuing to be very much paramount to all our planning."

Safety measures including social distancing and the use of facemasks will be in place and bookings will only be allowed up to six people, with details of every ticket-holder needed for the government's track and trace requirements.

The last 13 fixtures at Redcar have been held behind closed doorsCredit: Pool

The May 17 date is set to be the first day racegoers will be allowed on course this year after the sport moved back behind closed doors at the end of December.

Carlisle, Leicester and Windsor are the other fixtures in England on that Monday.

Racegoers might be able to return to racecourses in greater numbers from June 21, a date when the government hopes to lift all social contact restrictions.

The last time Redcar staged a meeting with a crowd was in October 2019 as the track lost its last three fixtures that year due to the weather and the 11 fixtures in 2020, and two so far this season, were staged behind closed doors.

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