HRI hoping racing will be allowed to go on under Level 5

Racing’s authorities believe evidence of the sport having operated successfully behind closed doors for over four months makes a case for it to continue even if the country moves to the highest level of lockdown due to coronavirus.

In the face of spiralling cases of the virus, the Government is expected on Monday to impose more strict nationwide restrictions, potentially including the imposition of the highest Level 5 conditions under its Living with Covid-19 plan.

There remains confusion about the status of elite sport under Level 5 with a letter from chief medical officer Tony Holohan to the Government earlier this month indicating there will be an exemption for racing behind closed doors in such circumstances.

However, that appears to be contradicted by the Living with Covid-19 plan itself which says “no matches or events to take place” under Level 5. Racing can continue behind closed doors – as it has been doing since June 8 – under Level 4.

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Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), the industry's ruling body here, has been seeking clarification on the matter.

Racing was the first major sport to resume in Ireland after lockdown. With uncertainty about what steps the Government will take to fight the growing spread of the disease, industry officials are pointing to its proven record of being able to operate safely in the midst of the pandemic.

"Of all the sports, it is non-contact. It is held in wide open spaces and we have been doing it under strict protocols for almost five months since racing resumed. It's kept an industry moving," said HRI chief executive Brian Kavanagh on Sunday.

“We are lucky in racing that we’re suited to it. When you strip away the public element from a racecourse you’ve lots of space and lots of opportunities for social distancing.

“The other thing is horses have to be exercised on a daily basis anyway and they are there to race.

“The primary consideration in all this has to be public health and public safety, and asking if an activity or business is safe to take place.

“In that respect, we know we have been doing it for almost five months and it has been done in other countries as well that you’re able to create the necessary bubble around the main participants,” he added.

Racing stopped due to lockdown on March 24th before resuming on June 8th. Having to stop again would be a major blow for the entire bloodstock industry which is estimated to be worth almost €2 billion.

Many within the sport are pinning their hopes on the Government being anxious to keep as many businesses as possible running as close to normal as they can. They also point to how racing continued behind closed doors in jurisdictions such as Melbourne despite lockdown there.

In other news, Aidan O’Brien is set to saddle both Armory and Magic Wand in this Saturday’s $5 million Cox Plate at the Moonee Valley track in Melbourne. O’Brien won Australia’s most prestigious all-aged race in 2015 with Adelaide.

Ireland’s champion trainer was out of luck in the Caulfield Cup at the weekend when his 2019 Derby hero Anthony Van Dyck just failed to defy topweight in the historic handicap.

Despite a wide trip , Anthony Van Dyck found only local mare Verry Elleegant too good. The pair are likely to clash again in the Melbourne Cup in just over a fortnight.

O’Brien’s representative in Melbourne, TJ Comerford, described Saturday’s display as a “career best” for Anthony Van Dyck and told local media: “I know he’s won an English Derby but to carry top weight in a race like the Caulfield Cup, and to do what he did, we are very pleased.”

Joseph O’Brien’s Buckhurst ran sixth in the Caulfield Cup and could make a quick reappearance in Saturday’s Cox Plate.