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I have no clue where this will end, but 2,500 spectators on the track today shouldn’t pose a higher infection threat considering how much space everyone has for himself.
https://www.sportinglife.com/racing/news/doncaster-to-close-doors-again/184113
Going back and forth every second day doesn’t make sense. When you allow racegoers, then this decision has to be a permanent one, especially with the data we have about Corona. We’re not in April any longer.
The situation is now absolutely farcical. We are trashing our economy, our society and our civil liberties over a virus that is already dying out and was never particularly unusual or serious anyway. All that has been unusual is the panicked and irrational response to it.
Given the absolute incompetence of this government and its determination to keep a crisis wholly of its own making going for as long as possible, racing is going to have to seriously think about planning for taking place behind closed doors for months to come. I really cannot see the restrictions being lifted in winter.
Racecourses are going to close and trainers are going to be forced out of business. It is inevitable.
Or do you think it was the determination by certain parts of the media to make this a big thing has created the crisis, that’s if you also think it isn’t?
The government are having to react on this, or seen to be.Whilst I agree that the government is absolutely incompetent (as well as being totally corrupt) Covid is real and there is a spike which is merely following that seen in many other countries. The number of cases, severely reduced during lockdown, is on the rise because lockdown measures have been gradually relaxed. This was always going to happen once schools and unis reopened and people were encouraged back to their offices at the very time we enter autumn/winter. Allied to the setback in finding a vaccine it now seems likely that none or very few spectators will be allowed at football, racing etc until next summer. Christmas will be socially restricted too as Johnson and his cronies try to find a level of restriction short of a second national lockdown.
There are more cases because more testing is being carried out. The vast majority show no symptoms. Many people who test positive are unaware they had the virus. There is also a considerable amount of false positives. But the government sees fit to introduce yet more draconian measures on such flawed data. It is madness.
The number of deaths each day is now at a minimal level. There are only around 500 hospital cases. Many hospitals do not have a single patient with covid.
How much more damage are we going to do to our economy and society because of a virus with a mortality rate of 0.06%?
What I don’t understand is why such a small number of racegoers – like the 2,500 today at Donny – isn’t worth a longer trial. Like over the 4-day meeting period.
I just can’t imagine how NH Racing will survive this winter, after it has been hit already in the spring due to cancelation of Aintree, Ayr and Punchestown and so many more.
Just curious to know which facts/data would forbid to have even such a small number of spectators like the 2,500 at Doncaster today.
It’s absolutely okay not to underestimate the virus, but let’s give it a try if we’re ever going to get back to normality.It’s not like racecourses are a stadium. There is room to move, room to isolate you and others.
Be interesting to know what H&S were so uncomfortable about.
Must be worse being indoors in a supermarket, but people still go there.William Derby, Clerk of the Course at York, was interviewed on RTV on Sunday. You could sense his frustration at having no crowds. I imagine he is in despair now.
You could sense Niall Hannity’s frustration as well. He pointed out that the likes of York and Doncaster are 200+ acre sites. It must be possible to maintain social distancing with a reduced crowd.
Get ready for the likes of Kempton on Boxing Day and the Cheltenham Festival being behind closed doors. Who thinks that does not matter, like people claimed about Royal Ascot and Epsom? It would not surprise me in the least if those meetings are behind closed doors next year as well.
Derby said racing with no crowds is unsustainable. He is right. If this continues, small racecourses and trainers will go to the wall – no question.
The debate whether racecourses should be permitted to allow spectators to attend, and opinions on the virulence of covid-19 are all well and good but it is plainly obvious that racing will be continuing behind closed doors for the foreseeable future, certainly for the remainder of this year I’d warrant; so, as this is a racing forum, perhaps we should accept this fact and rather than chunter about the whys and wherefores of something we’re stuck with perhaps pay more attention to what I’d fairly confidently guess will be the increasingly perilous financial position of many racecourses as the months of meagre-to-zilch revenue continue to pass by
A good starting point would be to ask if the BHA and RCA are monitoring the financial health of their individual racecourses and if they have made any ‘bail out’ contingencies from monetary reserves (if any) in the event of a course being unable to continue trading
Do I get the feeling that the local authority were acting out of spite having not felt they were adequately consulted (in their view of course)
If so then it’s bad on both sides here
It will also be ridiculous if other sports go ahead in stadiums but racing doesn’t there is no way that the kgv must be behind closed doors when twickenham has the proposed 20000 in November
It’s nothing to do with more testing being carried out – the rate of cases is rising as a percentage of tests. Hospital admissions lag behind positive tests by around two weeks. There are less deaths per day because many of these new cases – asymptomatic or not – are amongst the young. If the easing of lockdown were not reversed it wouldn’t be long before the virus is passed onto the over-60’s with the same consequences we saw in the spring.
Any further trials are going to be limited to 1000 – there will not be 20000 at Twickenham in November – racetracks, football & rugby clubs will go to the wall.
Twickenham have stated that they are expecting a 20000 trial in November
There has been no official limit stated by anyone
The government is proposing to spend £100 billion on technology that does not yet exist to allow us to return to “normal”. Anyone else think we are now being governed by people who are literally insane?
I expect ITV and SSR will say today it is disappointing there is no crowd but safety comes first. Not one of them will mention this is an ongoing disaster that is going to cause turmoil.
Where are racing’s leaders? Why are they not making the case in public that racing CAN accommodate crowds without any problems? And emphasising that the longer this goes on, racecourses and training yards will close with serious economic consequences for the sport.
And when furlough ends, mass unemployment and the economic storm arrives, how many people will have the spare cash to bet? Racing’s finances are going to take a huge hit. Prize money was already slashed this season. Why would anyone be crazy enough to buy a racehorse in this climate?
There is a mighty fine line between trashing the economy and having the possibility of a mass of deaths/serious illnesses due to Covid. The government have to weigh up which is “best” of a no win situation, either a strain on the NHS due to Covid and normal flu viruses as we hit the winter months or the long term problem of mental and perhaps other physical health problems due to the lockdown rules which are hitting the economy which will only get worse as the government hardship funding comes to an end.
With new rules coming into place I think there was only going to be one outcome in regards to Donny although you could argue these rules do not come in whilst Monday so the crowds could have stayed for the whole of the 4 days.
There is only one reason cases are rising and that is people are not obeying the rules either advertently or inadvertently. Yes it’s difficult to always remember to stay two metres apart and in certain situations impossible. But it’s not impossible to remember not to throw a house party, barbeque, meet up with a group of friends from a number of households in a pub. I know masses of people doing this and I am in one of the ‘local’ lockdown areas of West Yorkshire where meeting up with people indoors from any other household is illegal.
People have spoilt this because they can’t or won’t social distance. Yes it was hard work for three months but as soon as the strict total lockdown ended then it seemed to be a free for all for some folk. Selfishness took over.
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