Virus forces postponement of new racing league in Britain

Britain’s Racing League has postponed its debut until 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, organisers have confirmed.

The new competition, in which 12 teams will go head to head in a series of 36 races over six weeks, is aimed at attracting new fans to horse racing.

Teams will consist of up to four trainers, 30 horses and three jockeys. All team members, including jockeys, will be dressed in team colours.

More than £2 million ($2.4 million) in prize money will be up for grabs.

Four racecourses in Britain will host the six events — Doncaster, Lingfield Park, Newcastle and Royal Windsor.

“Although disappointed, we are making the decision now to postpone the Racing League until 2021,” said founder and chief executive Jeremy Wray.

“We will use the time we now have to work with horsemen, our partners and stakeholders to make the competition a really positive addition to the flat racing calendar for next year,” he added.

The Racing League is now set to be launched in July 2021.

Palio of Siena cancelled

Elsewhere, the Palio of Siena, often described as the toughest horse race in the world, will not be running this year because of the coronavirus pandemic, the mayor of the Tuscan city said.

The bareback race, where riders and horses have to charge three times around Siena’s main, mediaeval square, is held twice a year, on July 2 and Aug. 16.

It was last cancelled in the 1940s because of World War Two.

City authorities had originally looked just to postpone the 2020 races until later in the year. On Thursday, they threw in the towel and called them off until 2021.

“It was a very painful and unanimous decision,” mayor Luigi De Mossi told reporters, saying it would be impossible to maintain social distancing during the Palio, which normally draws tens of thousands of tourists to Siena.

“The Palio is a festival for the people and at the moment, given the conditions, this cannot be experienced in the right way,” he added.

The race dates back to the Renaissance era and has been cancelled only rarely through the centuries, including in 1855 because of an outbreak of deadly cholera.

Italy has been one of the countries hardest hit by the novel coronavirus, with more than 31,000 people dying since the outbreak first came to light in late February.

The government is gradually rolling back restrictions imposed in March to try to contain the disease, but says people must remain at a safe distance from each other.

Santa Anita gets green light

Meanwhile, Santa Anita race track was given the green light by California health officials to resume live horse racing with new safety measures in place.

The Los Angeles race track halted horse racing on March 27 because of the global Covid-19 pandemic.

Los Angeles County health officials gave permission for the track to reopen but without spectators.

“We are very grateful for the open and continuous communication with both the Health Department and supervisor Kathryn Barger’s office,” said Aidan Butler, spokesman for California racing for The Stronach Group.

“Supervisor Barger in particular, understood the importance of live racing to support thousands of individuals, and that we are able to accomplish it safely under these protocols.

“This has been a difficult time for all. Now we are focused on getting back to work.”

Employees will be required to wear face masks and undergo temperature checks on a regular basis. The winner’s circle will be closed to follow social distancing guidelines.

The closure of Santa Anita, located 30 kilometres (18 miles northeast of Los Angeles) forced the postponement of the April 4 Santa Anita Derby, which is a tune-up for the Kentucky Derby.

The Kentucky Derby in Louisville, Kentucky was moved from May 2 to Sept. 5.

Agencies