French horse racing, both for Thoroughbreds and Standardbreds, has been cancelled until Apr. 15, effective Tuesday, as a means to help combat the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.
A joint statement from France Galop and LeTROT read, “Our top priority is the health of all stakeholders in the industry and compliance with state directives. By suspending all competition, we want first and foremost to protect them from the current pandemic. With this decision, the French horse racing industry also shows its solidarity and responsibility towards the entire Nation.
“We are fully aware of the economic consequences of canceling the races. This is why we decided to organize a large flow of information from the companies in the sector to the parent companies. For this, we will propose to professional associations to collect all the useful elements, profession by profession, and to transmit them to us during the weeks to come. This will be the first step for safeguarding our activity. Parent company teams are already teleworking and we will continue to communicate as the pandemic evolves.
“The moment we are living in is exceptional and of unprecedented gravity. We know that we can count on everyone's commitment to stem the pandemic as quickly as possible; you can also count on our commitment and determination: no one will be abandoned.”
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