It's all so quiet: how Longchamp returned with a whisper, not a roar

There was a moment early in French racing channel Equidia's broadcast from Longchamp on Monday when viewers might have wondered if they had accidentally stumbled onto one of those memes featuring sportsmen standing like statues.

The jockeys waiting to mount for the first race were spread around the paddock at safe intervals, seemingly moored to small plastic cones, the type recognisable from school sports days.

Adding to the eerie effect was the fact that each rider wore a mask, while the unfortunate course reporter's microphone – mounted on a long pole that complied with social distancing rules – emitted not one shred of sound.