Kelso horse racing behind closed doors - 'It's important to keep going'
- Published
Kelso Racecourse will not admit any spectators to Monday's meeting
Horse racing at Kelso goes ahead on Monday, but, for the first time in Britain, the meeting will be held behind closed doors.
Courses in England and Wales remain open to the public, but Kelso is following Scottish government advice on prohibiting gatherings of over 500 people due to the coronavirus pandemic.
All Irish fixtures will be closed to spectators until 29 March.
The same restrictions apply in France and for the Dubai World Cup meeting.
"We share the same objectives as the government and the wider community, to try and slow the spread of corornavirus, but in the meantime we are trying to maintain business," Kelso managing director Jonathan Garratt told BBC Scotland.
"We are racing without the general public and with less than 500 people on the racecourse.
"There are quite a lot of essential staff required to run a race meeting, officials, vets, doctors, stable staff and trainers. By the time you account for all of them, there isn't a lot of additional space.
"There may be a few owners who wish to come along, but that will be much more limited in scope."
Scottish football has been suspended indefinitely, along with Pro14 rugby, while there was no shinty or hockey at the weekend.
"One of the main differences between racing and other sports that have been stopped is that we are not in stadium with people sitting next to each other for 90 minutes," added Garratt. "There is generally quite a bit of distance between people as they circulate in the open air.
"In the past, we have used NHS services but now we only use private ambulances, while our medical provision comes from private individuals.
"Of course we will miss gate revenue but the racecourse is a conduit for finances for lots of rural businesses and this is why it's important to keep going."
The next Scottish meet is scheduled for Musselburgh on Friday 20 March, with another at Kelso on the calendar for the following day.