GUINEAS delayed. Derby delayed and Royal Ascot behind closed doors – if it is on at all.

Another blank week for British racing saw the authorities there accept the inevitability that the first four classics of the season would not be run on their original dates, while Ascot began refunding customers who had bought tickets for the Royal meeting in mid-June.

With Covid-19 claiming close to 1,000 lives a day in Britain this week, the chances of racing restarting there in any form within a month appear slim. However, Ladbrokes make it 8/11 that racing will resume in May, while their offer of 2/1 Royal Ascot taking place on its intended date was quickly taken and it is now 11/8.

British racing’s leaders will next week review the plans for racing to resume. Racing there came to a halt on March 18th when the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) – after consultation with industry leaders – decided on a suspension until the end of April.

The Covid-19 Racing Industry Group established a Resumption of Racing Group that has been working with horsemen, racecourses and others on a plan to resume racing behind closed doors as soon as that becomes possible.

The focus of the Resumption of Racing Group is on establishing clear, objective criteria to assist the industry in determining how, where and under what conditions a resumption may be accepted by government.

A BHA statement said: “The group continues to focus on a framework that will enable racing to be ready to resume on daily basis in a phased and controlled way as soon as possible. The initial phase of that plan will ensure opportunities exist for horses to race under strictly controlled conditions at locations which meet the criteria being established, and not until approved by the BHA board and government.

Richard Wayman of the BHA said: “We have followed government guidance throughout this crisis. When they said it was still safe to continue mass gatherings, we continued. When they said the emergency services could no longer support mass gatherings, we stopped. Now it seems clear that – like so many other areas of leisure and business activity – sport will need the support and approval of government to resume, even if that is behind closed doors.”

Classics pushed back

Earlier this week it was confirmed that the first four classics of the 2020 British flat campaign will be pushed back until later in the season.

Jockey Club Racecourses, which owns both Newmarket, which hosts the 1000 and 2000 Guineas, and Epsom, the home of Derby and Oaks, has announced the fixtures will not take place on their scheduled dates in May and June. Both meetings will be rescheduled “once racing has resumed in Britain”.

BHA race planner Ruth Quinn said it is important to provide “opportunities for the horses most likely to define the future of the thoroughbred breed”. She said: “As a sport we have a responsibility to safeguard the staging of our classics, and to position them within a sensible, balanced schedule of complementary events wherever possible.”

Just minutes after that announcement, Ascot Racecourse said its Royal meeting will take place behind closed doors this season, if it goes ahead as planned in June.

Guy Henderson, Ascot’s chief executive, said: “For public health and safety reasons, we have reached the difficult but unavoidable conclusion that Royal Ascot 2020 (June 16th-20th) will not be able to take place as an event open to the public. This will of course be a great disappointment for everyone planning to attend.

“It may prove possible to run the Royal Ascot races behind closed doors, dependent on Government and public health policy and the approval of the BHA for us to restart racing.”