10th May 2020

We will all be glued to the TV tonight as the immediate future of British horseracing hangs on the words Boris Johnson says at his press conference to the nation this evening. We all know there is not going to be a dramatic change in circumstances as there are sadly still hundreds of people dying everyday from coronavirus but it has been clear that the government wants to get people back to work and the economy going again if it is safe to do so. The BHA and racecourses seem confident that they can hold a limited number of race meetings safely with a minimum amount of participants and it would be good if this can start this month as the thought of heading into June with still no racing is a bit daunting.
I know at the end of the day that this is just a sport but a lot of livelihoods depend on racing and just to get one or two meetings on per day would be a massive help to everyone involved. I imagine the races will be ultra-competitive with dozens of entries per race as everyone has their horses fit and raring to go but it will make for competitive action and will give the country something to follow but I do think it is important that racing doesn't try and push things ahead of other sports as another peak in the virus would mean that racing gets blamed, just like some are trying to do with the Cheltenham Festival.

Just in case we do get the go ahead, the horses have been galloping for the past couple of weeks and we were again on the grass gallops this weekend. We've had some lovely weather this week and it was a pleasure being on the gallops although there was a bit of a fly invasion yesterday and there didn't seem to be any swallows about to catch them as there usually is. We have our annual migratory swallows back nesting in the yard now but they don't seem to have ventured onto the Heath for some breakfast yet.