A profound impact: how has racing stood up to the financial battering of Covid?

In the first few weeks of the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, British racing held its breath. Uncertainty over when the sport might return had led to "doom-laden" predictions of how long owners would continue to pay training fees for horses with no prospect of running.

In the end the sport was one of the first to resume and some, if not all, of the financial taps were turned on again. But, just as with other sectors of the economy, the restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic had a profound financial impact.

Britain's racecourses were the most obvious victims of the lockdown. From March 18 until June 1 last year racing was shut down and the courses had no source of income. Once racing resumed, income from media rights began to flow again, but as the action was behind closed doors there was no money coming into the tills from racegoers.