Talking Horses: lockdown is costly but the feeling in racing is one of relief

Racehorse owners will be barred from all British tracks for the duration of the latest national lockdown while the closure of all betting shops for the first time since June 2020 will mean “a direct hit in the low millions per month” to racing’s betting levy income, according to Alan Delmonte, the Horserace Betting Levy Board’s chief executive.

While the next few weeks will be costly for racing, however, the overwhelming mood among the sport’s senior figures on Tuesday was relief that the disaster of a fresh suspension of all racing has been averted.

Related: Talking Horses: new rules mean even owners unlikely to attend Festival | Greg Wood

Racing’s levy income from off-course betting, both online and in high-street shops, usually averages around £8m per month, while shops also pay significant sums in media rights payments direct to racecourses.

“It’s a direct hit to levy revenue in the low millions per month,” Delmonte said, “but at the moment we’ve got the reserves to withstand that and maintain what we’re doing [to support prize money]. But the longer the restrictions are in place, the more that flexibility is removed.

“The Levy Board has paid quite a bit of money towards helping to make racecourses secure locations to give the public confidence that the sport can continue with low to negligible risk, and the industry has then behaved extremely well in following all of the protocols.”

The efforts made by all participants and attenders to adhere to the Covid-19 protocols were also acknowledged on Tuesday by the British Horseracing Authority. However, a tightening of the rules to ensure they are “reflective of the wider national situation” will mean an earlier ban on owners attending meetings in tier 4 areas will be extended to all racecourses.

“Our protocols must be particularly stringent at this time,” a spokesperson for the BHA said. “Attendance must be limited to the most essential personnel only. We are aware that this will be disappointing news for a number of owners. We will work with the necessary bodies to ensure that, as soon as possible following the end of the national lockdown, we will be able to welcome some owners to attend meetings once again, under appropriate controls.

“In the meantime, our priority must be to focus on the continuation of racing behind closed doors, to ensure the sport can continue to support the many livelihoods which are dependent on it.”

The BHA is also seeking further clarification from the government on whether runners and riders from abroad will be allowed to compete while the current lockdown is in place.

There were just 150 runners from Ireland on British tracks in January and February last year, but the BHA will be mindful that the lockdown could extend into March, when several hundred Irish-trained horses would normally arrive to compete at the Cheltenham Festival.

Horses trained in Ireland are unable to compete in Britain in any case after the Irish government banned all non-essential travel to the UK until 6 January. The ban is expected to be extended on Wednesday, which would almost certainly rule out two entries from Gordon Elliott’s yard – Duffle Coat and Quilixios – in the Grade One Coral Finale Junior Hurdle at Chepstow on Saturday.

Wednesday’s best bets

After a breakthrough year to end all breakthrough years in 2020, Hollie Doyle has drawn a blank from a dozen rides so far in 2021, but she should get her first win on the board at Kempton when Amtiyaz (6.15) looks like the pick of a strong book of six rides.

Doyle steered John Gosden’s colt to victories at Newcastle and Wolverhampton in October and November, but Rab Havlin took over for his latest start over this track and trip, when Amtiyaz looked unlucky after being forced to switch a quarter of a mile out. He still finished within two lengths of the winner, remains unexposed at staying trips and is just a 1lb higher in the weights.

Doyle has several more decent chances on the same card, and the money for Archie Watson’s Great Esteem (5.45) is encouraging as the five-year-old prepares for his first race since 2019, when the son of Dubawi was part of Charlie Appleby’s Godolphin operation.

Wolverhampton
12.45 Jumira Bridge
1.15 Batraan
1.50 Whistling Sands
2.20 Top Boy
2.55 Crimewave
3.25 Born To Sire
3.55 Peerless Percy

Kempton Park
3.40 Jeanette May
4.10 Fuwairt
4.40 Spark Fury (nb)
5.10 Iesha
5.45 Great Esteem
6.15 Amtiyaz (nap)
6.45 Aberama Gold
7.15 Global Warning

Spark Fury (4.40), another recent recruit to Watson’s stable, also has a decent chance off bottom weight and should appreciate a drop back to six furlongs, while at Wolverhampton, Peerless Percy (3.55) and Crimewave (2.55) both have decent claims against the favourites.