British Racing Planning On June 1 Resumption

The British Horseracing Authority is working its plans for a return of racing off a June 1 resumption date that will begin with a meeting at Newcastle, it revealed on Thursday evening.

The governing body had released further details on Wednesday of its plans for the first seven days of racing's return, including dates for the season's first four Classics, without a concrete start date, but a release on Thursday began, “Following the UK Government's publication of a provisional timeline for the return of sport, we are now planning for racing to resume behind closed doors on June 1.”

Under that plan, Newcastle will re-open proceedings with an eight-race card on its all-weather course on June 1, with Newcastle again and Kempton each staging eight races the following day. In major movements, the G1 Coronation Cup will be moved to Friday, June 5 at Newmarket and will be staged alongside the G3 Brigadier Gerard, G3 Abernant S. and Listed Paradise S. Lingfield also races on June 5 and will host its Oaks and Derby trials. Click here for the programme from June 1 to 8.

The release noted that there will be no regional restrictions in place for British-based horses, and that the fixture list will seek a good geographical spread of meetings. News on the participation of foreign-trained horses is expected on Friday.