Trainer Ruth Carr shuts down Yorkshire stable to combat spread of coronavirus

Ruth Carr has put her stable on hold to combat coronavirus and cut costs for her owners, taking all 55 horses out of training.

The Yorkshire trainer took the decision to stop her training regime in preparation for an unknown start to the Flat turf season and the horses will be turned out daily in paddocks at her Mowbray House Farm.

Carr, who made the decision before Boris Johnson's Monday edict, said: "I can't see light at the end of the tunnel yet and can't keep charging my owners full fees when I haven't got a goal for them. I hope if I look after them now, they will look after me later."

The trainer stressed the move does not involve too much upheaval to the horse's routine but "massively cuts down on footfall into the yard" which lessens the spread of coronavirus that has shut down racing across the world.

"It's a normal day-to-day occurrence for them to go out. There will be no formal exercise but you would be surprised how much they do, especially running around in the sunshine we have at the moment. They will keep themselves ticking over.

Poyle Vinnie wins the Stewards' Cup at Goodwood last summerCredit: Edward Whitaker

"Nobody knows what is right or wrong and I might be doing the wrong thing if racing gets back in May but we are all in this together with bigger things to think about."

Carr is applying for the government assistance through its furlough scheme that will cover 80 per cent of wages for affected staff.

"This probably involves three full-time and three part-time staff," added Carr, who would have had four runners at Wolverhampton on Monday if racing had continued.

"We were getting excited about the season, getting the turf horses ready. They were working well, just coming right, getting their summer coats in the sunshine and it is hard to put them on the back burner."

Carr had two winners from her last nine runners this month before the lockdown in Britain and among those being turned out is Poyle Vinnie, who remains in training at the age of ten, looking for a 11th career win later this year.

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