Coronavirus

Irish racecourses can host up to 50% of their outdoor capacity beginning on Sept. 6 following the Irish Government's latest COVID-19 response roadmap, Horse Racing Ireland announced on Thursday. Racecourses may also utilise 60% of their indoor capacity for hospitality purposes should attendees consume food and beverages indoors as long as they provide evidence of their Digital Covid Vaccine Cert (DCC). Attendance in both spheres will be increased to 100% as long as all covid restrictions are lifted on Oct. 22. Regarding Irish Champions Weekend on Sept. 11 and 12,...

Trainer Todd Pletcher has tested positive for COVID-19, and will continue to isolate until Thursday, he confirmed via text Sunday morning. Pletcher, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame on Friday, August 6, said that he sought out the test after experiencing allergy-like symptoms and after a co-worker tested positive. "I got the results back this morning," he said via text. "Starting Monday, I thought I was experiencing some allergies. Since I've been vaccinated, I wasn't concerned as I didn't have any traditional Covid symptoms. Late Friday, a co-worker...

Paddy Walsh, chief executive officer of the Association of Irish Racecourses, has said his "members are frustrated" as tracks continue to be restricted to very limited crowds. While British racecourses are back at full capacity and other sports and sectors in Ireland are seeing restrictions eased, Irish racecourses remain limited to 500 patrons, with exceptions made to allow 1,000 at the Irish Derby meeting and the Galway Festival. Horse Racing Ireland is seeking exceptions to allow larger crowds at next month's Harvest Festival at Listowel and Irish Champions Weekend, and...

Six-month statistics for horse racing and breeding in Ireland shows underlying growth in the industry despite the ongoing challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The report was released by Horse Racing Ireland on Thursday. The metrics of horses in training (+24%), owners (+23.9%), new owner (+31%),  runners (+23.8%), fixtures (+8.4%), and race numbers (+14.6) have all shown strong growth over the corresponding pre-pandemic figures for 2019. Attendance at Irish racecourses was the major area where figures suffered, as there has been no public attendance at any racemeeting in Ireland for...

Three returning tours were announced by Discover Newmarket on Wednesday. The "Behind the Scenes Racecourse Tour" is one hour and includes visiting the Commentary Box and Royal Box at Newmarket Racecourses. This tour is £15 per person. A full day, the "Newmarket Race Day Tour" features a day out at the races, including admission to the Premier Enclosure and an hour-long tour that visits the Commentary Box and Royal Box. There is also an opportunity to rub shoulders with trainers, owners and jockeys inside the Parade Ring and it is...

The twice-rescheduled Tattersalls Ireland May Store Sale ended on Tuesday with a new record price of €115,000 and a new record clearance rate of 78%. Of the 211 lots offered, 164 sold. The gross was €2,851,200. The average and the median each posted double-digit increases-€17,385 for the average (+43%) and €15,000 for the median (+67%). A gelded son of Blue Bresil (Fr), offered by Rathbarry Stud, caught the eye of bloodstock agent Aiden Murphy. Lot 121B, a half-brother to Welsh Grand National H. Chase runner-up The Two Amigos (GB) (Midnight...

The upcoming Arqana August Yearling Sale begins on Saturday, Aug. 14, and COVID-19 health protocols were announced by the sales company on Tuesday. To gain access to the sales grounds, all interested parties must register here. All registered individuals must also present a health pass at the entrance of Arqana's sale complex, with only the main entrance and one near the loading ramps for stud personnel open at this time. The right-handed lane at the main entrance will be reserved for people with a valid health pass. Non-European visitors will...

Wagering essentially stayed the same in July compared to the same month from 2020 while still showing marked improvement over corresponding 2019 numbers, according to the latest economic indicators released by Equibase. Purses continued to rise over last year's pandemic-affected levels and eclipsed 2019 numbers for July. Overall, $1,101,617,446 was wagered on U.S. races in July 2021, compared to $1,098,021,143 in 2020, a slight uptick of 0.33%. In July of 2019, $942,243,633 was wagered, making last month's numbers a 16.91% increase over that figure. With the number of race days...

Woodbine will host a pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the track Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. for anyone requiring a first or second dose, including Toronto residents and those who work at Woodbine Racetrack, Casino Woodbine and the Casino Woodbine development. The vaccine clinic, which is operated by Unity Health Toronto, will operate for one day and is open to individuals 12 years and older in 2021 and who live or work in Toronto. Woodbine Racetrack previously hosted a six-day pop-up COVID-19 vaccine clinic in May 2021. During...

The Racecourse Association (RCA) will be working closely with the UK Government to ensure the successful rollout of the new covid pass requirement after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a full COVID-19 vaccination would be required prior to entry at "venues where large crowds gather" beginning in October of 2021. Johnson was speaking on 'Freedom Day', the date when the majority of coronavirus restrictions were eased in England. Racecourses were allowed to begin hosting unrestricted numbers of spectators on Monday. Prime Minister Johnson said, "I should serve notice now that...

Handle for the opening four-day week of the Saratoga meet soared to more than $90 million, easily besting the corresponding 2020 and 2019 numbers. The New York Racing Association added a day to the previous three-day opening week Saratoga schedule in 2019. The exact handle total for the 41-race week was $90,112,254, an increase of 12.18% from last year's number of $80,325,660, which was affected by the lack of spectators at Saratoga due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It also represents an increase of 22.7% from the $73,441,101 total in 2019....

As English racing prepares for the return of full capacity crowds from Monday, racecourses have issued some guidance and a number of requests to racegoers, including being vaccinated against coronavirus and taking up the government's offer for free lateral flow tests before attending a racecourse. The British Horseracing Authority and the Racecourse Association will not yet be introducing a Covid-certification system, but are working with the department of culture, media and sports to put the framework in place in the event that such a measure is needed. The Scottish and...