Racing in Ireland to continue behind closed doors

A meeting of the Board of Horse Racing Ireland agreed this afternoon that racemeetings in Ireland would continue to be held in strict adherence to Government guidelines regarding Covid-19 and staged without members of the general public.

This decision is motivated by the need to maintain employment and incomes for people working in the industry, and on the basis of being able to achieve and maintain all HSE advice and instructions.

Since last Friday, five racemeetings in Ireland have been held behind closed doors with access to the racecourse limited to a number of key personnel such as stablestaff, jockeys and trainers, and strict protocols around social distancing and sanitisation.

The Board reviewed the five meetings that have taken place since Friday, and recommended some extra measures:

• There will be no evening meetings and no double meetings - this will reduce the draw on medical resources, a principal concern for larger racing jurisdictions with multiple meetings every day
• A maximum of one meeting per day to reduce impact on resources
• Jockeys’ weights to increase by 2lb from Friday, on the Flat and in National Hunt - all racecourse saunas are closed
• No owners permitted to attend racemeetings
• No overseas runners will be permitted for the time being in Irish races
• A maximum of 30-minute intervals between races to assist social distancing
• The previously approved protocols will continue and are set out in the attached Appendix

Nicky Hartery, Chairman of Horse Racing Ireland, said:

“These are unprecedented and sombre times and we are seeking the best ways to support the racing community and industry throughout what lies ahead. Health and welfare of employees and industry participants is the prime consideration and within that context, we have introduced protocols which can allow racing to continue and thousands of families who rely on the sector to maintain a livelihood. This will be kept under review on a daily basis and we are also planning measures for reprogramming fixtures as it becomes required. Changes to the programme will be separately announced.

“We have consulted with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine throughout this process and we will continue to strictly adhere to the Government and HSE advice. We have made it clear at all times that our medical facilities and personnel will be available for the Government to use if necessary — that will take precedence above any other consideration.”

Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Horse Racing Ireland added:

“This is clearly a rapidly changing situation and Horse Racing Ireland will continue to liaise with the relevant Government Departments and with our health advisors.

“The executive sub-committee of Horse Racing Ireland and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board is meeting daily to assess the situation, and the Board of Horse Racing Ireland will continue to convene as required.

“Racecourses by their nature offer opportunities for social distancing that few other workplaces can. Nothing in Irish life is as it was a week ago, and in the same way, these are not race fixtures as we previously knew them, they are big open-air sites with very few people present and nobody on site if they are not involved: once a jockey or trainer has finished their business for the afternoon, they are required to leave. Furthermore, we have carried out risk assessments according to each individual racecourse facility, and some fixtures may be subject to greater restrictions and limitations to ensure social distancing is easily achievable and maintained.

“The Board paid tribute to the flexibility shown by stable staff, jockeys, trainers, owners and employees of the IHRB, HRI, the media and broadcasters. Strict measures were imposed on them almost immediately last Friday but their actions, care and vigilance have ensured that social distancing is being observed and racecourses continue to be a safe working environment.”

COVID-19 PROTOCOLS

HORSE RACING IRELAND

To implement the recommended social distancing measures on track, the following strict measures must be undertaken by all Industry Bodies and Racecourses.

• Signage recommended by the government must be displayed throughout the racecourse premises in strategic areas (grandstand, weighroom area, changing rooms, press room, stables etc.)
• Contact details for all racecourse attendees must be recorded on admission
• Bottles of antibacterial gel solutions/hand sanitising stations to be provided
• Door handles, handrails of escalators, elevator buttons and any other obvious points of contact to be disinfected regularly during each race meeting
• Jockeys’ saunas must be closed
• Additional space between individuals must be provided within the weighroom to ensure social distancing along with additional alternative facilities for jockeys’ changing to ensure best practice hygiene throughout
• A designated isolation room must be provided at each racecourse (for individual use in the event any person presents with virus symptoms)

Access to the racecourse will be strictly restricted to essential service providers and industry

participants and only the following people are permitted to attend race meetings:

• IHRB Officials/HRI employees working at the race meeting
• IRIS employees working at the race meeting
• Order of Malta (as required to service the race meeting)
• Racecourse employees (as required to service the race meeting)
• Valets working at the race meeting
• Racecourse Vets
• AIR Commentator
• Stable staff of horses running in the race meeting
• Jockeys riding in the race meeting
• One Trainer (or their representative) per horse running on the day
• One racing journalist per newspaper/media organisation
• One racing photographer per company