THIS is a very difficult time for everyone, and human wellbeing is to the forefront of everyone’s mind. Almost every business is suffering. Ireland’s 26 racecourses are among them, and this week came the news that both the Fairyhouse and Punchestown Festivals for 2020 have been lost.

Paddy Walsh in AIR spoke this week about the impact no racing is having. “The immediate impact has been financial, with almost all major income streams drying up. Race day admissions, income from on-course bookmakers, catering and other franchise income, sponsorship income and, of course, media rights income all ceased when racing stopped.

“Racecourses have applied for the Covid-19 subsidy for their staff in order to keep them on the payroll so that they will be ready to go when racing resumes. In addition, racecourses who had planned development works at this time have been adversely effected and, in some cases, have had to defer such works until next year”.

What lessons were learned while racing was held with no customers? “Most importantly, the industry proved that it could race behind closed doors and, by implementing all the appropriate protocols, operate in full compliance with the regulations laid down by the Department of Health. This fact will be extremely helpful to us when we start to re-introduce racing at some point in the future”.

The cancellation of the major National Hunt Festivals at Fairyhouse and Punchestown will have enormous financial consequences for both tracks, as it will for all racecourses forced to lose fixtures. Walsh also concedes that when racing is back that it is likely to be behind closed doors, at least in the initial stages of the resumption. Walsh acknowledges that lack of racing will hit courses hard.

He said: “All tracks are likely to suffer loss of fixtures and, consequentially, media rights income as a result of the current coronavirus crisis. Even when racing resumes it is likely to be on a reduced level initially and with a focus on flat racing. Efforts will be made to reschedule some of the lost meetings later in the year and the eventual 2020 fixture list will be very different from that envisaged at the start of this year.

“Media rights comprise just over half of all racecourses’ income and, for smaller racecourses, this proportion is likely to be even higher. While all racecourses will suffer financially we would believe that, if racing is resumed within a reasonable time frame, there would be no question of any racecourse not surviving this crisis. Given the unprecedented nature of the current crisis we are also in negotiations with our media rights partners to ascertain how best to minimise the negative effect of the crisis on our racecourse members”.

Racecourses need to be maintained even when there is no racing. Walsh explained how this is being done. “Most racecourses have applied for the Covid-19 subsidy in order to keep their staff on the payroll. However, other than for essential maintenance work on the racecourse that can be carried out in full compliance with the current protocols, most racecourse staff have been sent home”.

AIR is also playing its part to help racecourses at this difficult time. “We are very aware of the difficult financial circumstances being faced by all our member racecourses at this time and, in recognition of this, we have agreed to suspend all membership fees for the period when racing is cancelled.

“We are also ensuring that all our members are aware of the supports that are available to them in terms of staff and other matters, and we continue to liaise with both our members and other industry stakeholders to ensure that we will be able to hit the ground running as soon as racing is resumed”.

Walsh concludes with an important message and offering a ray of hope too. “While the financial effects and the uncertainty about the future are serious concerns for our member racecourses, the health and well-being of our people and, indeed, the general public at large are far more important. We would encourage everyone to mind themselves and to remember that each week that passes is another week nearer to the resumption of racing”.