Return of British Racing Delayed; Dante Meeting Cancelled

The suspension of British racing will continue beyond the initial May 1 target date for resumption, the British Horseracing Authority confirmed on Wednesday. The BHA did not provide a new objective start-up date, but said plans are in place to allow the sport to resume as soon as possible, and that its plans continue to allow for resumption in the month of May if possible.

Racing in Britain has been off since Mar. 18. With restrictions on mass gatherings likely to continue for some time, the BHA says racing with crowds will not be possible until June at the earliest.

The BHA's Chief Executive Nick Rust said, “We stopped racing in March to protect the health and safety of the public and to limit demands on the NHS. It's right to continue this suspension until the pressure on the NHS allows for a resumption and we can assure the safety of those taking part. We are in touch with government as part of our development of a responsible, coordinated plan for the return of sport when it's appropriate to do so. We'll continue to develop a range of options drawing on the expertise of our participants and racecourses. But for now, we are all focused on supporting the national effort, maintaining social distancing restrictions and taking care of our people and our horses.”

In light of the latest development, York has cancelled its Dante Meeting originally set for May 13 to 15. The meeting would have featured two key events for 3-year-olds, the G2 Dante S. and G3 Musidora S.

A statement from York Racecourse read in part, “As the COVID-19 crisis has come to affect so many individuals and organisations, it will not be a surprise that racing, as both a sport and an important employer, has too suffered unprecedented consequences. Most recently, in following government advice, the British Horseracing Authority extended the suspension of horse racing nationwide, in front of a crowd, until Sunday, May 31. Consequently, this means the cancellation of the four racedays scheduled for York Racecourse in May 2020, specifically the Dante Festival and Saturday, May 30. Whilst this is a disappointing decision for racegoers, racing professionals, all of us at York Racecourse and many in the wider city, we all appreciate that public health must be everyone's priority.”