MEETINGS SET TO CONTINUE DESPITE ROYAL INTERVENTION

British racing will maintain a controlled programme during the outbreak of foot-andmouth disease amid reports that Queen Elizabeth has questioned whether the sport should continue in the current circumstances.

She has reportedly corresponded with the sport`s officials and expressed the view that a hard look should be taken at current policy.

In response to the reports Tristram Ricketts, secretary general of the British Horseracing Board, said: 'Last week her Majesty the Queen expressed her concern that racing should consider its response to the foot-and-mouth outbreak very carefully, but has not asked for horseracing to stop.

'In view of the Queen`s personal involvement in racing BHB has kept her Majesty fully informed of racing`s response to the foot-and-mouth outbreak and explained the reasons why BHB is, with government support, maintaining a controlled racing programme within Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Foods endorsed guidelines.

'Racing always takes place in a strongly regulated environment, which lends itself to the introduction of enforceable precautionary measures.

'BHB and the Jockey Club have worked closely with government officials to draw up instructions for the staging of racing to ensure the risk of spreading foot-and-mouth disease remains negligible.

'Government and racing`s scientific and veterinary advice remains that racing can go ahead with these strict precautions in place. If that advice were to change, naturally BHB would review the situation immediately.

'BHB has a responsibility to all those individuals and businesses who are dependent on the racing industry, which would be very seriously damaged if all racing were to be suspended.'

Last week British newspapers carried photographs of the Queen Mother attending a meeting at Sandown and wading through a disinfectant mat on arrival.

And Channel 4 Racing`s betting expert John McCririck said yesterday: 'Most families have learned that mum knows best.

'So when the Queen Mother daintily walked through the disinfectant at Sandown recently, convinced racing was no threat to the countryside she loves, that too was giving a royal message.

'Does Her Majesty want Ascot to shut down their meetings on March 31st and April 4th?'

A slightly truncated programme of racing has been staged in Britain since an initial seven-day suspension of activity when the foot-and-mouth outbreak first started, with numerous precautions put in place. BHB chairman Peter Savill warned on Channel 4`s Morning Line programme on Saturday what the affect of a shutdown would have on racing.

He said: 'We have an industry which employs 100,000 people that would lose £60million a week if we closed down - it would be irresponsible for me as chairman of the BHB to advocate that we should do it.'