Race meeting schedule update-on-resumption-of-racing-planning click here

The leaders of British horseracing say the government’s decision that sport can resume will help save livelihoods and businesses in the £4 billion industry. British racing was suspended from March 18th to allow emergency and NHS workers to focus on COVID-19 and support the national effort.

Since then, Britain’s 59 racecourses have had no income from racing.

Jockeys will wear masks if racing resumes behind closed doors on 1 June, according to British Horseracing Authority (BHA) protocols.

The governing body and regulator for horseracing has published its technical guidelines for participants and staff to allow racing to resume safely behind closed doors.

The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) has worked with racecourses and representatives of trainers, jockeys and staff to adapt a normal race meeting, provide medical screening for all attendees in advance and maintain social distancing.

Reduction in prize money inevitable with no crowds on racecourses and betting shops closed

Levy Board contributions allow, on average, minimum prize money levels to remain at just over 80% of the previously permitted minimum levels

Racing’s cross-industry Members Committee agrees focus should be on safeguarding prize money at the mid/lower echelons of the racing pyramid

Initial values cover 10-week period from the resumption of racing and remain under review

Following the UK government publishing a provisional timetable for the return of professional sport on Monday, the racing industry’s leaders continue to plan for a resumption of racing from 1 June.

Senior executives from British horseracing have welcomed the publication of a timeline for the potential resumption of sporting events by the UK government today. In its document, Our Plan to Rebuild, …

Read the latest news from the racecourse news pages

In response to an article in today's Sunday Telegraph, the Board of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA) issued the following statement:

With what is proving to be quite a testing and tricky time for us all, we want to shake away the doom and gloom with some exciting racing trips and packages to look forward to come 2021 when things return back to normal…

Let’s start from the beginning

The King George VI Chase will cap off a tremendous year in horse racing when it takes place on Boxing Day at Kempton. The race headlines the 32Red Christmas Festival and will bring the 2019 season to a close. The King George VI Chase is one of Britain’s most famous horse racing events along with Cheltenham, the Grand National, and Royal Ascot. Horse race punters can bet on all of the top races in Britain using the latest Royal Ascot sign up offer and wager on the horses will win.

Thirty-four horses are currently listed as entrants with some of the biggest names in Jumps racing set to participate. Former winners Thistlecrack, Mite Bite, and Clas des Obeaux could all add to their win totals at Kempton at the King George VI Chase. Other notable names competing in the event including Native River, Monalee, and Altior. With so many major names competing for silverware and the £142,000 winner’s prize, there is bound to be a big finish on raceday.

The Favourites

Lostintranslation heads into Kempton as the sportsbooks’ favourite at odds of 5/2. The horse has been praised for his stamina and talent and is more than capable of coming away from the three-mile race as the winner on Boxing Day. Recent successes have not only made Lostintranslation a favourite to win the King George VI Chase, but the Cheltenham Gold Cup as well. The Colin Tizzard trained horse has won three straight races with his most recent coming at Haydock in late November.

Cyrname is level at odds of 5/2 along with Lostintranslation. Paul Nicholls’ horse could bring the elite trainer an 11th win at the King George VI Chase. Nicholls already holds the record in wins and one more would break his own feat.

Cyrname is in fine form heading to Kempton. In November, Cyrname defeated Altior to win the Christy 1965 Chase at Ascot. The showdown was much anticipated by racing fans and the King George VI Chase will see the two horses battle in a rematch

Can Altior avenge his loss to Cyrname?

Altior goes into the Boxing Day event at 6/1 odds, which are the fourth best to win the King George VI Chase, according to leading sportsbooks. Trainer Nicky Henderson and jockey Nico de Boinville will aim to get Altior back on track after his 14-race win streak was snapped by Cyrname. Altior’s loss in November was the first since April 2015.

Although some will create the narrative that the race is between Cyrname and Altior, there are some former winners of the King George VI Chase that will be competing and eager to return to the winner’s circle.

Clans des Obeaux won the event in 2018 and is at 5/1 odds pre-race. Mite Bite took home the prize winner’s purse in 2017 but with only one race run in 2019, is at odds of 25/1, according to top bookmakers. The 2016 winner, Thistlecrack, is 33/1 to win at Kempton. His 2016 win was the last victory recorded and since then, Thistlecrack has failed to win in six starts.

With so many major names in horse racing battling it out at Kempton, horse racing fans are in for a real post-Christmas treat.

CLICK HERE for the hopes of resumption of horseracing.

Race programme and fixture list The BHA has today published a provisional race programme for the remainder of June 2020, which includes the date, location and race conditions for all fixtures scheduled from 9 – 30 June (inclusive). The race programme can be viewed in full here. This will be added to the BHA’s Racing Administration website in the coming days. We have also produced a separate list that shows specifically the Flat Pattern & Listed opportunities during this period.

Having been off since Mar. 18 due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, racing in Britain has officially been given the go-ahead by government to return on Monday behind closed doors. British racing's much-awaited return will take... [To read this entire TDN News Story, click here.]

Jockey Club News - This week's round up

Following the UK Government’s publication of a provisional timeline for the return of sport, Racing’s industry leaders are now planning for racing to resume behind closed doors on 1 June.

The exact timetable for the resumption of racing will remain subject to agreement from government and an assessment by public health officials of the risks posed by the virus at that time.

If a return to action is approved by the government, the first meeting would be held on 1 June.