Horseracing Ireland has welcomed a return of horseracing behind closed doors on June 8th in phase three of the government's roadmap.
A statement from Horseracing Ireland on Friday followed a tweet from Fine Gael politician Peter Burke saying: "Horse Racing to return behind closed doors with strict protocols from June 8th. Much needed certainty for the sector."
Grateful
Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Horse Racing Ireland, said:
“We are grateful to be one of the sectors permitted to go back to work and acknowledge the responsibility on everybody in racing to ensure the events are run in a safe way.
“We know from our own experience in March when we safely ran ten meetings behind closed doors – and from what is happening in other countries like France, Germany, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and America – that racing can be staged safely within the requirements of social distancing.
“With significant input from the IHRB’s chief medical officer Dr Jennifer Pugh, we have strengthened the HRI Covid-19 protocols and so, while race fixtures will return in Ireland on June 8, they will be very different from what people will have experienced before.”
Horseracing in Ireland took place for 10 meetings prior to the coronavirus lockdown. Racing in Britain is set to return on the first of June, with the Derby at epsom to be held on July 6th. Horseracing in France resumed earlier this week.
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