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Germany given go-ahead for behind-closed-doors meeting at Hanover on Thursday

German racing: clearance has been given by the local authorities for action to resume
German racing: clearance has been given by the local authorities for action to resumeCredit: Kassandro / Wiki Commons

Horseracing will return in Germany on Thursday at Hanover after clearance was given by the local authorities for action to resume for the first time since March 15.

German racing officials had been hopeful of returning at Dortmund on Monday before the fixture was called off, and Saturday's meeting at Munich has also been cancelled.

However, a 12-race card, due to be streamed live on the Deutscher Galopp website, is set to go ahead at Hanover under strict hygiene measures and without spectators with Cologne's card on Friday and Berlin's on Sunday also due to take place.


Hanover Thursday card


Deutscher Galopp president Michael Vesper told galopponline.de: "We are relieved and grateful to authorities such as the [Hanover] racing club that people in racing companies can now go back to work."

Trainer Dominik Moser has 16 runners declared for Hanover on Thursday, and hopes the return of racing in Germany is an encouraging sign for the rest of Europe.

He said: "We're very happy that racing is on but now we hope we can give a good impression for all of Europe so future horseracing can go ahead in other countries after us; we are all in this together.

"We need to make sure we do a good job and set a good example. We must make sure that nobody gets sick and that we follow all of the rules to make sure we can put on racing in the safest way."

'Having racing back is good for them'

Those attending Hanover on Thursday are being asked to wear face masks, according to Moser, to maintain strict social distancing and to ensure tack is disinfected thoroughly after use.

Moser added that the return of racing offered reassurance for stable staff and owners who had been unsure about their futures, while he is eager to return with horses to Britain, where he has enjoyed Group 3 success with the likes of Gracia Directa and Waldpfad in recent years.

He said: "We have been having a lot of discussions with owners and staff over the last two weeks and everyone has been a bit scared about their future, so having racing back is good for them.

"When I go to England in the news and see how sad people are there right now about the racing I hope that we can all return soon. I would like to come back and be able to have runners at great places such as York and Newmarket again. We must all come together."


Why the return of French racing is the best news I've had in weeks


The racing authorities in Germany are understood to be taking a tentative approach to getting the sport up and running with fixtures needing to be approved at a local level to go ahead.

The hope is that running fixtures such as Hanover, Cologne and Berlin will act as templates to be put to other organisations to allow racing to restart in different areas.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday that "the first phase of the pandemic is behind us", as lockdown restrictions were partially eased following discussions with the country's 16 regional heads of state. These include restarting the Bundesliga football, which will return in the second half of the month.

Germany will be the first major racing nation in Europe to restart the sport after the coronavirus lockdown, with action set to return in France on Monday.


Read more:

Monday's three comeback meetings in France draw staggering 1,069 entries

Cautious welcome as Jockey Club produces plans for Derby behind closed doors

Irish jockey fined by stewards for breaking Covid-19 protocols after biggest win


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Peter ScargillDeputy industry editor

Published on 6 May 2020inInternational

Last updated 10:44, 7 May 2020

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