Bookmakers will be allowed back on track under Level 2 measures

A small number of bookmakers will be allowed work at race meetings once coronavirus restrictions are eased to Level 2 status.

Up to three bookmakers per fixture will be allowed take bets as part of a tentative return to business for on-course layers.

Monday’s Government decision to put the country on Level 3 Covid-19 restrictions for the next three weeks means only essential staff are allowed at tracks where racing can continue behind closed doors.

For the previous two weeks owners of horses running at fixtures had been permitted to go racing under rules allowing up to 200 spectators attend open-air facilities able to cater for crowds of 5,000 and more.

Aidan O’Brien has four in Arc as Serpentine is supplemented

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O’Briens could return their horses to action at Navan on Wednesday

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Aidan O’Brien’s Love withdrawn from Arc due to the ground

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The move up to Level 3 has stopped that for at least the next three weeks and also halted plans for a small number of bookmakers to be part of any restricted spectator attendance under Level 2.

However the Irish National Bookmakers Association (INBA) has indicated that its members will be ready to resume business for the first time in over six months should the wider public health situation improve.

"When we get back to a Level 2 situation, and hopefully that will be in the coming weeks, up to three bookmakers will be back at tracks to complement owners that are going in small numbers,"said the INBA's chairman, Ray Mulvaney, on Tuesday.

“So when they go back they will see bookmakers there which might add to the experience of a ‘new norm’.”

On-course bookmakers have been unable to work at racecourses since March 24th when the country went into lockdown due to the virus.

Although racing resumed behind closed doors on June 8th racecourse betting rings have remained idle.

However, Mulvaney said that consultations with both Horse Racing Ireland and the Association of Irish Racecourses in recent weeks have come up with a formula for a limited resumption of business should the wider public health situation improve.

“Hopefully if we can get to Level 1 we can get up to six, maybe 12 [bookmakers] going on the run up to Christmas.

“Working with all the agencies and the stakeholders they’ve welcomed us back – it’s just a matter of when we go back now,” he said.

The INBA represents over 80 layers and its committee will be tasked with coming up with a system for deciding who will be able to go to certain race days.

“It will be up to the INBA committee to come up with a dynamic. All the bookmakers will sit down and we’ll do it on a basis of seniority of pitches and we’ll give everyone a chance.

“Some bookmakers may not want to go back under the circumstances which you can understand. Other guys will want to service things and keep our business alive.

“Some are based in the south, or the west, or some, like me, work all over the place. Some might want to work at Punchestown or the Curragh. Some might want to work at Galway or Tipperary.

“But we will draft new temporary rules for the present situation. We have run it through AIR and HRI and they’re happy too,” Mulvaney said.

He added that bookmakers will be ‘cash ready’ when they are allowed resume and said that there’s no evidence of Covid-19 being transmitted on cash.

However, Mulvaney also stressed that software and credit card facilities have been updated by bookmakers in readiness for a return to work.

“I know it will be very quiet but we will be back. No one knows when, but hopefully by Christmas there will be some kind of ‘new norm’ and spectators will be allowed in. But who knows how many that might be,” he said.

The INBA chairman said the impact of coronavirus – and bookmakers not being able to go racing for at least seven months – would mean some of his members leave the business.

“I’m sure, like all industries, there will be casualties but I hope it won’t be too many. Time will only tell. [But] we’re in an integral part of racing and I’d like to keep that going,” he said.

In other news last year’s wide-margin winner Royal Illusion is in the running to defend the Paddy Power Irish Cesarewitch title at the Curragh on Sunday.

The eight-year-old is among a strong team of horses left in the €75,000 feature by Willie Mullins who has also kept the Curragh option open for Great White Shark. That grey is among the favourites for the Newmarket Cesarewitch the previous day.

Mullins brought off the English-Irish Cesarewitch double a year ago with Stratum successful at Newmarket prior to Royal Illusion winning the Curragh version by over eight lengths.

Top-rated among the 57 entries left in the Curragh marathon on Tuesday is Aidan O’Brien’s Irish Derby third, Dawn Patrol, winner of the Group 3 Loughbrown Stakes at HQ last time out.

Joseph O’Brien has left in another three-year-old, Baron Samedi, winner of his last four starts and who has progressed from a rating of 65 to a new mark of 106.