York Racecourse gets new season underway behind closed doors

Sweeping changes have been made across the site, including installing screens to block views of the start and finish line to deter anyone hoping to “sneak a peek” from the Knavesmire, and a restaurant has been transformed into a changing room for jockeys to ensure social distancing.

But while it has certainly been an intensive few weeks in preparation for today, staff at the racecourse are excited to be back - even if for now, they are encouraging everyone else to stay away.

York Racecourse spokesman James Brennan told The Yorkshire Post: “It has been very strange. After 20 years of doing the opposite, I am now telling people to please do not come down, and looking at the weather forecast thinking ‘yes, there’s a chance of rain’.”

The racing season was due to start back on May 13, but since then 11 race days have been cancelled. Elsewhere, racing began behind closed doors last month, but York waited until now to get its season underway.

Over the next six weeks, 69 races will take place on nine days with a combined price fund of £3m. Business-wise, it’s a relief.

Mr Brennan said: “Whether it is as a racecourse, a conference centre or a wedding venue, we have not had a paying customer on site since March, and at the moment there’s no clear path as to when that will change.

“The consequences have been dramatic, just as they have been for many local businesses. In 2019, having people at the racecourse in one form or another made up over 80 per cent of our revenue - which gives some indication of what we are missing. Behind closed doors does allow us to get some money back in terms of media rights and betting, but we’re not the Premier League.

“Operations costs and overheads, such as buildings insurance, still have to be met.”

In the early “dark days” of the pandemic, all but four of the racecourse staff were furloughed, with just the head groundsman on site.

“We are just grateful that the pain and sorrow of the illness has not come too close to us,” Mr Brennan added.

Operationally, making the racecourse bio-secure has meant introducing questionnaires for everyone due on site, temperature checks, and more.

“The weighing room will still be at the heart of operations, but we’ll handing out saddles from outside the weighing room doors rather than inside,” Mr Brennan said. “Showers for jockeys have been banned, which is a little disconcerting for high performance athletes, but the horses will still get one, with the shower head disinfected between each use.”

For now, he said, “the best seat in house is your armchair”.

The big races will be shown on ITV Racing, and while the jockeys will be wearing masks, “much will seem familiar”. For staff on site, it will be different. Knavesmire’s James Brennan said:

“Our peers have told us to expect race day morning to be as frenetic as normal, but once things settle down, it will start to feel alien again, with no sponsors to check up on, and no owners hoping for a picture with Frankie Detorri.”