Saturday 2nd May - Resumption of Racing update

The Government is keeping strict control of the messaging about resumption of sport, and their policy will be influenced mainly by public health authorities.  However, it is looking likely that flat racing will resume behind closed doors under strict conditions, at locations that meet specific criteria around risk mitigation and infection control.  There will be a need to follow strict biosecurity protocols to manage risks.  These protocols are being developed in collaboration with industry experts and other major sports.  It is thought that the flat programme will be published next week for the first seven days of racing.  Although the target is 15th May, the 7-day programme will be run from which ever date racing starts.

As far as we are concerned, jump racing is set to start on 1^st July so at least we have something to aim for.  To that end, we have now started our core summer jumping team of 13 back into light work.  My plan is to begin cantering them again next week and once flat racing has resumed, we’ll then kick on with them to have them ready for when jump racing resumes.  We’ll slowly bring some of the better ground horses back in through the summer to have them ready for the autumn.  We’ll then start to ‘unfurlough’ the team, and hope to be back into full swing by July.

In the meantime, there has still been plenty for us to get on with here – steam cleaning, painting, strimming, spraying, weeding, mending, building, cutting, and not to mention home schooling – so we’ve been busy enough, and I’ve tried to improve my DIY skills!

So as the 2019/20 season draws to an official end, I am thrilled that not only did we have our best season to date in terms of winners and prize money, but there was just one trainer who had a better strike rate than us who had more winners than us…….and that was the Champion Trainer and my old Guv’nor, Nicky Henderson.

Pacify's five timer was just one of the highlights of the 2019/20 season.

I must thank you all for supporting us this season, as without that support we’d not be able to achieve any of this success.  Our staff have once again been outstanding and the horses have kept their form throughout the season.  We have a wonderful team of owners, staff and horses and I am looking forward to the new season when racing does resume after the lockdown has been lifted.