Racing will continue behind closed doors, confirms British Horseracing Authority

Initially until the end of march, spectators will not be able to attend race meetings

NEWBURY Racecourse's final jumps meeting of the season, which takes place this weekend, will still go ahead, but spectators will not be able to attend, due to the impact of coronavirus.

The BHA (British Horseracing Authority) have confirmed that, as of tomorrow (Tuesday), any fixtures in England, Wales and Scotland, initially until the end of March, will take place without a crowd and it'll have certain restrictions of how many people can attend.

On Friday, March 20 and Saturday, March 21, Newbury will host the Be Wiser Jump Season Finale - their final jumps meeting of the season.

A statement made by Chief Executive of the BHA, Nick Rust, said: "Racecourses and racing yards are embedded in their local communities and we are acutely aware of our responsibilities to protect public health.

"The restrictions we are putting in place to close racing to spectators and limit attendees will reduce demand on public services. We also have a range of measures in place designed in response to the government’s guidance on public health and we will continue to update these as appropriate.

"We acknowledge that today’s decision will also impact on local businesses, especially hotels and restaurants, who are struggling at this time. We are following the government’s advice to strike a balance between protecting public health and maintaining business activity and will continue to do so. We thank our customers and staff for their support."

A further statement from Newbury Racecourse, read: "On guidance from the British Horseracing Authority, racing will take place behind closed doors with no spectators, as of 17 March 2020 which will affect our upcoming meetings on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 March.

"Our intention is to limit the number of individuals across the site. This will include essential racecourse staff, medical & veterinary staff, jockeys, officials and those accompanying the horses.

"All existing ticket purchasers will be issued with an automatic refund within 14 working days and our box office team will be in touch with any hospitality bookers directly. We will also contact our Annual Members separately.

"An allocation of tickets will be made available for racehorse owners which will be dictated by the number of entries. Owners with entries will be contacted directly.

"We appreciate everyone’s support and we will continue to keep you updated on any developments."