COVID-19

Fasig-Tipton and The Stronach Group announced Friday that the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale of Selected Two-Year-Olds in Training, scheduled for Apr. 1, would be cancelled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Gulfstream Park had already announced late Thursday that racing would be conducted without spectators, indefinitely. "While disappointing, canceling the Gulfstream Sale is the most prudent and responsible decision we can make in light of the rapidly changing circumstances associated with COVID-19," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. "With the facility closures at Gulfstream, it prevents us from conducting the auction. The...

It remains business as usual at the Cheltenham Festival, despite a Premier League football match being postponed on Wednesday because of the coronavirus outbreak. The Premier League announced in the early hours that Manchester City's home fixture against Arsenal would be postponed due to the fact Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis - who has since tested positive for the virus - visited the Gunners for the clubs' Europa League tie on February 27. Marinakis, also the majority owner of Nottingham Forest, met several Arsenal players and staff, the Premier League said...

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training will continue as scheduled, OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski told the TDN Tuesday. The decision comes as organizers and administrators for institutions and events around the world grapple with just how seriously to take the Coronavirus outbreak. "We're monitoring the situation, but we are moving forward with the sale," Wojciechowski said. "There have been no restrictions placed on us by a government agency--it's a fluid situation, but right now with the investment that's at stake for our consignors...

Four meetings in the UAE, barring Dubai World Cup night on Mar. 28, will be conducted without spectators, the Emirates Racing Authority announced on Tuesday. The ruling comes in accordance to public safety measures pertaining to the proliferation of COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus. The dates are as follows: Meydan, Mar. 12 Al Ain, Mar. 13 Abu Dhabi, Mar. 14 Jebel Ali, Mar. 20 All races will be contested and regulated in a standard fashion and results will be recorded in an official capacity. Only the horses' connections, racing...

Officials at Cheltenham on Monday said it was "full steam ahead" for the start of the Festival on Tuesday. While confirmed cases of coronavirus in Britain now total over 300, a meeting on Monday between sports governing bodies with broadcasters and government officials to discuss contingency planning concluded that based on the "current scientific advice" there were no reasons to cancel sporting events "as things stand". Cheltenham clerk of the course Simon Claisse said, "Of course these things happen, but we do our bit for the public as a responsible...

More than 270 people have now tested positive for coronavirus in the UK, the Department of Health has announced. As of 9 a.m. on Sunday, 273 people had been diagnosed with Covid-19--an increase of 67 from the 206 cases confirmed at 7 a.m. on Saturday. It represents the largest day-on-day increase in diagnoses. The four-day Cheltenham Festival, is still going ahead as planned and it begins on Tuesday. Meanwhile in Italy, more than a quarter of population has been placed in mandatory quarantine as the Government attempts to stem the...

Following the publication of the government action plan published on Mar. 3, the British Racing Steering Group on COVID-19 is encouraging all businesses and employers who are part of the racing industry to follow the appropriate guidelines releases in the action plan. The plan details phases of the government's response to COVID-19, with an emphasis on the steps necessary to contain and delay the disease. British racing has been in regular contact with DCMS and DEFRA over the past two weeks to keep them informed of the racing's industry's developing...

There was a significant spike in the total of confirmed coronavirus cases in the UK on Sunday--less than 10 days before the scheduled start of the Cheltenham Festival. Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, reported that the number of positive tests for the virus has risen to 35 after 12 new patients were identified in England. Whitty said three patients were close contacts of a known Covid-19 case that was transmitted within the UK--believed to be a Surrey resident--while another new patient, from Essex, has no relevant international travel to...

Three meetings at in France next week are to take place behind closed doors in a response to the coronavirus outbreak. At Compiegne, Monday's jumps card and the Wednesday fixture on the Flat will have no paying customers, with the order coming from the mayor of Compiegne and the president of the Compiegne Racing Society. It is a similar story at Chantilly, where Tuesday's programme will not be open to the public. Racing professionals will be admitted as normal. The move is the first of its kind for the sport...

The Korea Racing Authority has suspended racing across all of South Korea due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, Alastair Middleton of Horseracing in Korea reported. The countries three tracks--Seoul, Busan and Jeju will not race as scheduled, as their meetings have been postponed from Feb. 28-Mar. 8.  The following meetings have been suspended: 28: Busan/Jeju 29: Seoul/Jeju 1: Seoul/Busan 6: Busan/Jeju 7: Seoul/Jeju 8: Seoul/Busan The situation will be re-evaluated by the KRA on Mar. 9.

The British Horseracing Authority is prepared to act--if the need arises--regarding any potential coronavirus impact on fixtures, including the Cheltenham Festival. BHA chief executive Nick Rust has confirmed an industry steering group is in place to consider the implications of the virus. Rust, speaking on a Betfair podcast, said, "We have an industry group in place that has been and continues to work on the potential impact of the coronavirus on the horse racing industry as a whole. "The BHA executive met with the team at Cheltenham Racecourse on Monday...

For the upcoming Feb. 26 and Mar. 1 and 4th race meetings, the Hong Kong Jockey Club, as requested by the HKSAR Government, will only allow trainers, jockeys, Club officials, stewards with race day duties and owners with starters that have already made a prior reservation in an owner box to be admitted due to the risk of contracting the coronavirus (COVID-19). No guests will be admitted, while customers are required to receive temperature screenings before entry and are advised to wear medical masks during the race meeting. Additionally, for...