Curragh gets green light for Sunday card despite lockdown in Kildare

Racing will go ahead at the Curragh on Sunday despite a partial lockdown in County Kildare starting at midnight on Friday which will see movements restricted once again.

There was widespread panic in the racing industry on Friday when the government ruled that no sporting events or matches can take place over the next fortnight in the counties of Kildare, Offaly and Laois, but professional and elite sports are allowed to continue behind closed doors.

That means racing can continue in Kildare, with Sunday's card at the Curragh safe. There are three further fixtures at Flat headquarters in August, while Naas stages their next meeting on August 23. Punchestown is the other Irish racecourse in the county - there are none in Offaly or Laois.

All the Flat fixtures in Kildare are now exempt from the new sporting guidelines.

There have been 1,661 cases of Covid-19 in Kildare, the second-highest county total after Dublin.

A food factory in Kildare, O'Brien Fine Foods in Timahoe, revealed that they had 80 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and suspended all processing operations on Thursday.

The Curragh: fixtures in doubt after sharp rise in Covid-19 casesCredit: Patrick McCann

Horse Racing Ireland chief executive Brian Kavanagh has reiterated how good a job Irish racing is doing while behind closed doors.

Kavanagh said: "Our racecourses are workplaces and we have very detailed safety procedures in place that have been in operation for over two months now and are working very well."

Read more:

Confirmed runners and riders for the Phoenix Stakes as top juveniles clash

Sligo abandons for safety reasons after fourth-race drama on Flat card

Beating the heat: tracks to lay on ice, fans and cold water for weekend cards

Download the free Racing Post app for cards, form, tips, in-app betting and to watch live races. Download for free at racingpost.com/mobile