Tracks highlight 'impressive safety record' as PM warns of more restrictions

Racecourses are optimistic that an impressive track record of racing operating under strict coronavirus measures during the ongoing pandemic will allow the sport to continue in Britain, despite prime minister Boris Johnson warning on Sunday that general restrictions were “probably about to get tougher” in the wake of rising infection levels.

Racing has “led the way in terms of its safety record and operation behind closed doors” since the sport returned on June 1, according to Ascot, while the independent operator of Catterick and Wetherby stressed it was “extremely important” the sport could carry on.

Since restarting after the lockdown in the spring, racing has continued to take place even as tougher measures have been implemented in an attempt to control the spread of the virus.

Nick Smith, Ascot’s director of racing and public affairs, believes the sport has put itself in a strong position to carry on with its adherence to the rules and lobbying with government.

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He said on Sunday: “At this moment in time racing has definitely led the way in terms of its safety record and operation behind closed doors.

“We’re as well placed as we can be and the signs that were coming through last year with racing being near the top of the list for an aid package does show the BHA, and its associates, have been effective in communicating a message and government hearing our voice.

“If there’s a diktat that professional sport has to stop then that’s that, but clearly it isn’t where we are right now and I don’t think racing will be at the top of the government’s concern list.

Nick Smith: 'I don't think racing will be at the top of the government's concern list'Credit: Edward Whitaker

“To date, the sport has an impressive safety record during the elongated racing behind closed doors period. I don’t think a single race meeting has been called into doubt because of Covid, and if you add all those up it’s a remarkable achievement by everybody concerned.”

Catterick was one of three meetings to take place in England on Sunday, and ensuring the sport can continue to take place, even with restrictions on who can attend, was viewed as being vital by John Sanderson, group chief executive of the course’s owner International Racecourse Management.

“We operate under extremely strict biosecurity measures and racing has done extremely well,” he said. “We can operate in a cost-effective and cost-efficient manner to keep the wheels of the industry turning, which is extremely important. It would be nice to think our track record would convince politicians that we can continue.

“Thanks to the pretty heroic efforts of the likes of Dr Jerry Hill, David Armstrong at the Racecourse Association and Nick Rust and Richard Wayman at the BHA we’ve been able to pretty much keep our nose clean through all of this.”

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The prospect of a widescale vaccination programme taking place across the UK in the coming months offers courses the chance to plan for the return of crowds – and a return to something akin to normality, with Smith looking towards the spring with positivity at Ascot.

“We have to be broadly positive and the signs are the vaccines are really good,” he said.

“That’s where we’ve got to look now. A positive spring is what we’re hoping to see, and that’s certainly not out of the question.”

Up to a dozen racecourses in England could be used as mass vaccination centres for the Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca jabs as part of a nationwide inoculation programme.

Epsom, Leicester, Newcastle and Windsor have been revealed as sites that will be used, while Newbury will also be a part of the plans according to local MP Laura Farris.

However, while racecourses are set to be a part of the programme, precise details on which new ones are being used are not yet being disclosed, with the NHS concerned facilities and vaccines could be targeted by thieves, the Racing Post understands. As such, those tracks taking part have been required to sign non-disclosure agreements.

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A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “The approval of two vaccines is a massive step forward in our fight against coronavirus – they are our exit route from the pandemic.”

The UK recorded 54,990 new confirmed Covid-19 cases on Sunday, with an additional 454 deaths within 28 days of a positive test result, with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer calling for an immediate lockdown in England and labelling the virus as being “clearly out of control”.

Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, prime minister Johnson outlined that further restrictions may come into force.

He said: “It may be that we need to do things in the next few weeks that will be tougher in many parts of the country. I’m fully reconciled to that. And I bet the people of this country are reconciled to that.”

New measures are set to be announced in Scotland on Monday, with first minister Nicola Sturgeon meeting with the cabinet to consider further action to limit the spread of the virus.

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