Coronavirus: British horse racing set to continue behind closed doors

The Cheltenham Festival went ahead last week

Horse racing in Britain is set to continue behind closed doors until the end of March because of coronavirus, with the sport's leaders meeting to discuss the decision on Monday.

There will be no spectators at Monday's Kelso meeting because of Scottish government guidance against gatherings of more than 500 people.

A British Horseracing Authority (BHA) statement said that a decision on the staging of the Grand National on 4 April would be announced "as soon as possible".

Racecourses, participants and the governing body will "agree a programme that is sustainable in the light of possible staff absences".

Racing in England has continued after the Cheltenham Festival, with a crowd of 8,400 at Uttoxeter on Saturday for the Midlands Grand National.

"Racing has worked hard to look after our customers and our staff by following the government's guidance and taking proportionate action," said BHA chief executive Nick Rust.

"We will agree plans to limit attendance to participants and staff only at race meetings from this week and put in place the contingency plans developed by the industry."

The public is already barred from courses in Ireland and certain venues in France and Hong Kong.

Trainer Mark Johnston told BBC Radio 4 that holding meetings behind closed doors is an adequate response to the crisis.

"We're a bit unique in any event in that, apart from the big festival meetings, we don't tend to have a large number of people congregated into a small space. Our sport takes place outside and we're with a rural industry, not really focused on the cities," Johnston said.

"We've got an advantage from that point of view and we can manage to go ahead with a very limited number of people and limited contact between those people."

Analysis

BBC horse racing correspondent Cornelius Lysaght

Unlike other major sports, racing has not been halted by coronavirus with the British Horseracing Authority insisting it is operating within government advice.

But in order to adhere to the Scottish government's '500 rule' for the maximum number of people permitted to gather, only trainers, stable staff, jockeys, officials and a few others will be allowed in at Kelso - and similar restrictions will come into force across British racing this week.

As far as the Grand National on 4 April is concerned, while there may be a desire for the race to go ahead in some form, the sport may have a difficult public opinion tightrope to walk between, on the one hand creating a massive radio, TV and online event for a country potentially in lockdown, but on the other looking heartless and insensitive.