LATEST SCOTTISH RACING NEWS By Gordon Brown

Published 2020/04/03

Normally staged on the final day’s racing of the spring in late May, the popular theme has now been pencilled in for Sunday, October 4th, providing of course that Covid-19 social distancing rules have been relaxed.

The borders venue has also lost a lucrative ITV Racing covered March Saturday along with one day in April and two in May.

Perth’s season hasn’t even got started and this month’s three-day festival has been cancelled as well as two dates in May and two in June. That’s almost half the entire season so don’t rule out some extra days being awarded to the Scone track from the BHA later in the year and I might have more on this next week, if not before.

Hamilton Park has yet to emerge from winter hibernation and we await news about the three opening fixtures scheduled for May at the Lanarkshire venue.

The start of the Flat season in Scotland should have got underway at Musselburgh on Tuesday but that too, along with a lucrative Easter Saturday card at the East Lothian course, has been claimed by the pandemic.

Likewise Ayr has been badly hit with the two-day Scottish Grand National festival being called off. The showpiece Saturday meeting was a 19,000 sell-out and results in a massive void in the northern national hunt calendar.

Speaking to various trainers, owners, jockeys and racecourses it’s just a case of making sure things are in place for when racing can get going again.

Health is at the heart of the issue so it’s important - even with the sport being eased back behind closed doors - that all precautionary measures are strictly adhered to.

So stay safe everyone and we’ll keep you up-to-date with all the latest news as, and when it happens.