Trainers and Bookmakers support closed door move in Britain

Rupert Arnold, chief executive of the National Trainers Federation in Britain, believes there is a feeling of everyone pulling together as racing braces itself for the unprecedented scenario of all meetings being held behind closed doors, initially until the end of March.

The coronavirus outbreak has already seen fixtures in Ireland and Scotland switched to being staged without spectators, and the British Horseracing Authority has announced that is likely to be the situation in the whole of Britain later in the week.

“I think everybody who is involved in staging the sport is going to have to adapt to the very unusual circumstances and we will all have to work together to deal with those issues and challenges that will arise,” said Arnold.

“We’ll have to do things differently and come to some uncomfortable compromises, but that is all in the interest of protecting the livelihoods of everybody involved in the sport and protecting their health and safety as well.

“We have to adapt, but I feel there is a very strong sense among everybody involved to work together on this. People are thinking very much along the same lines and working out the best way to do this. There is a good spirit of co-operation.”

Arnold had expected the BHA to move towards the restrictive measures due to the escalation of the virus.

“I think that along with most of my colleagues in racing this is a decision that was looking increasingly inevitable,” he said.

“We’re all very mindful of both the need to keep the wheels of the industry turning, but also our wider duty to the public’s health and safety and the way things are moving rapidly and how other sports have responded.

“I think this was inevitable after the last 24-48 hours that we would probably have to make this decision.”

Bookmakers have stressed the importance of keeping racing going amid the coronavirus outbreak.

It was announced by the British Horseracing Authority on Sunday evening that racing in Britain is likely to take place behind closed doors later this week, a move that has already taken place in Ireland and Scotland, as well as in France, America and Dubai.

Simon Clare, PR director for Ladbrokes Coral, said: “It’s really important if possible to keep the racing show on the road, even if that is behind closed doors.

“You’ve got a horse population in training being paid for that obviously needs to run, but then racing derives significant revenues from betting — the levy, betting shop media rights and streaming, bet and watch online. They are three big revenues to racing, all of which comes from racing taking place.

“Racing has a big incentive to keep the sport going through what is an unprecedented and quite extraordinary situation.

“It feels like it could be feasible to keep some of the show on the road, because even if every fixture can’t take place a proportion will generate a significant part of the betting.

“We fully support the BHA’s approach and with most sports not taking place and a lot of people confined to home, the fact that racing is taking place will be one of the few leisure pursuits people will be able to enjoy and access during a dull and difficult time.”

While a continuation of racing behind closed doors would be considered far better than no racing at all, it will still have huge financial ramifications for the sport.

Speaking to Sky Sports Racing earlier in the day, Arena Racing Company boss Martin Cruddace was asked how serious the situation was for his company, which runs 16 British racecourses, including Uttoxeter, which staged the Midlands Grand National on Saturday, and Doncaster — where the new Flat season is scheduled to start on March 28.

He said: “It’s particularly serious, I think we can weather the storm, but it will mean that unless we have support elsewhere we will not be able to put the fixtures on that the industry or the bookmaking industry needs.

“I think viability of racecourses is seriously in question, unless as an industry we work together and find the support that I think might be out there.”