PartialLogo
Coronavirus

Racing waiting with bated breath for Boris Johnson's lockdown plans

Prime minister Boris Johnson will address Britain on Sunday
Prime minister Boris Johnson will address Britain on Sunday

British racing is eagerly awaiting Sunday evening’s announcement from prime minister Boris Johnson in which he is expected to outline plans for the gradual easing of the coronavirus lockdown.

At Saturday’s Downing Street briefing, transport secretary Grant Shapps said the government would continue to proceed with “extreme caution”, although reports suggest that there should be some lifting of the measures currently in place.

Racing engaged in a number of positive meetings with government officials last week about proposals for a resumption of the sport behind closed doors, with sources indicating on Saturday that the industry’s leaders had done a good job putting forward the case for allowing the action to return when getting appropriate signals to do so.

On Thursday, the resumption of racing group published a provisional race programme for the first week of action, while work is reportedly continuing to take place behind the scenes with jockeys and other groups to enable the sport to take place in a safe and hygienic manner.

Oisin Murphy; 'I think we could begin racing safely and in a way the public can admire and applaud.'
Oisin Murphy; 'I think we could begin racing safely and in a way the public can admire and applaud.'Credit: Edward Whitaker

Champion Flat jockey Oisin Murphy is hopeful that the government announcement will be sufficient to allow racing to go ahead.

He said: "If we can follow the guidelines that Hong Kong, Japan and Australia have followed, albeit they have had different cases to over here, I think we could begin racing safely and in a way the public can admire and applaud. I also think it would lift the spirits of a lot of people.

"The procedures are already in place and all we have to do is copy the format of other countries."

However, confidence that racing will take place in Britain before the end of the month continued to wane in Betfair’s ‘will racing take place before June 1’ market with ‘yes’ out to 7-4 (from 6-4) having been 4-5 on Friday morning.

A total of 31,587 people have died from Covid-19 in Britain, an increase of 346 from Friday, and the cautious approach being adopted towards the lockdown was reiterated by Jonathan Van-Tam, the deputy chief medical officer for England.

Speaking at the daily coronavirus briefing, Van-Tam said he was “confident” the infection rate, or R rate, of the virus was below one, meaning on average anyone infected with Covid-19 passes the virus on to less than one other person.

However, he added: “What I can say is that whatever the prime minister announces that we will do next, it is going to be extremely cautious, extremely careful and extremely painstaking.”

Read more

French racing survives 11th hour football opposition as Macron gives all-clear

Trainers welcome resumption programme but hopes for mid-May restart fall

Handicaps dominate as schedule for first week of resumption is made public


Keep up to date on the must-have news, tips, photos and more by following the Racing Post across all social channels

Peter ScargillDeputy industry editor

Published on 9 May 2020inCoronavirus

Last updated 18:43, 9 May 2020

iconCopy