It's horse racing, but not as we know it - Chepstow prepares to ride again
- Published
Chepstow prepares for 'strange' horse racing return
"It's going to be strange… like a slightly different business."
That's Welsh racecourse executive director Phil Bell's assessment of racing's return at Chepstow on 15 June.
But on Monday stands will be empty - fans, bookmakers and horse owners won't be allowed in. Numbers are strictly limited.
"We're only going to have a small number of people on site — the jockeys, the trainers, the stable staff, racing officials from the British Horse Racing Authority, vets and doctors — just a couple of hundred people," said Bell.
"Chepstow can host 12 thousand people for the Coral Welsh Grand National. So it's going to be strange, without a doubt."
Safety first
The race-day experience is going to feel very different. Everyone arriving will have to have their temperature tested.
Once inside, people will have to follow a strict one way system. The weighing room, where the jockeys would normally get ready, is too small so a new marquee has been built with separate cubicles for each jockey to ensure they remain two metres apart.
"Everybody on site has to do an online course on Covid-19 and complete a medical questionnaire before race-day," said Bell.
"They will have their temperature tested too. There are strict social distancing measures. Facemasks will be worn in the appropriate areas, particularly in the parade ring."
Bell says the core business is going to be under "a huge amount of pressure".
Ticket sales for Chepstow's biggest event, the Coral Welsh National, generates around £250,000 in ticket sales alone. But with no crowds allowed to attend, Bell admits Chepstow will have to diversify.
"We've been working on other ideas. We have 30 odd race meetings here every year, that leaves a lot of other days to hire the venue for other events," said Bell.
"There's 450 acres of outdoor space here. We could park hundreds of cars in the middle of the racecourse. It's a beautiful setting in the Wye Valley to drive in the evening and watch a film. We believe it's a relatively safe thing to do," said Bell.
Bosses at the racecourse are hoping to set-up the drive-in movie night in time for the bank holiday weekend in August.
"That would normally be a time when an awful a lot of people would be abroad — and they're not going to be abroad. They'll be at home looking for something to do. We could run four or five nights of movies here."
Leasing hospitality boxes as office space is another plan being considered.
"I've even been looking at hiring shipping containers to start a storage business. We've got a lot of space here," said Bell.
Races at Ffos Las won't resume until October. There will be racing in north Wales at Bangor-on-Dee in July.
The trainer back in business
John Flint, 56, has been a trainer for 20 years at Kenfig Hill near Porthcawl. He employs seven people — five were furloughed — three have since returned to work.
Flint would normally have 25 horses, but currently has just 13 as the industry slowly gets back to normal.
"It's great to have horses back in the stables. They've all been empty and quiet.
"It's brilliant to see horses' heads over the doors when you come in the morning.
"It's been frustrating over the past couple of months. The horses had returned to the field and some of the owners have taken them," said Flint.
"These stables have been here for 20 years and there's always been horses in them. It's been like a ghost town."
Flint says the pandemic has been the worse than any recession.
"This is by far the worst. Empty stables, empty boxes, no income. The owners can't afford to pay because their business has been affected.
"There's a knock-on affect here. The farrier would normally come here a couple of times a week, the vets, the stable staff, the feed merchants are all affected."