Wetherby planning Covid-19 strategy for Christmas racing

This comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that an NHS Covid pass will be mandatory to gain entry into unseated outdoor venues with a capacity of more than 4,000 people.

They are the first blanket restrictions on horse racing in England since the lifting of lockdown measures on July 19. And the Government anticipates that attendees will be able to use the pass to show either proof of two vaccine doses or a negative lateral flow test result.

Wetherby’s Boxing Day meeting, featuring the Rowland Meyrick Chase, is traditionally its best attended fixture of the year with in excess of 8,000 racegoers in attendance.

There’s normally a smaller number at the December 27 meeting where the Castleford Chase remains the centrepiece of the card.

Chief executive Jonjo Sanderson was involved in meetings yesterday on how the new measures can be enforced practically, responsibly and safely.

A statement posted on Wetherby’s website read: “Further to the Government announcement... we are now working with our team and outside agencies on operational plans for the William Hill Christmas Meeting.

“We will update this notice with further information and will contact via email all who have pre-booked early next week.

“We kindly request that you please bear with us and do not telephone or email the Racecourse Office for any further information, as our office team will not have anything additional to tell you at this time.”

In his statement, the Prime Minister said: “We will make the NHS Covid pass mandatory for nightclubs and other venues where large crowds gather, in unseated indoor venues of more than 500 people and seated outdoor venues of more than 4,000 people and any venue with more than 10,000 people.

“We will give businesses a week’s notice, so this will come into force in a week’s time, helping to keep these events and venues open at full capacity.”

Meanwhile Yorkshire-trained Midnight Shadow is among a field of 15 as he attempts to join an elite list by winning the Racing Post Gold Cup at Cheltenham tomorrow.

Sue Smith’s eight-year-old won the Paddy Power Gold Cup in November under Ryan Mania after surviving a final fence mishap.

The horse will join Pegwell Bay, Senor El Betrutti and Exotic Dancer as winners of both races in the same season. Smith also runs the lightly-weighted Joke Dancer.

Jeremy Scott chose not to declare Dashel Drasher, meaning the weights are now headed by the Venetia Williams-trained Cepage.

Williams, who won the Ladbrokes Trophy with Cloudy Glen, is also represented by Farinet, last seen winning at Sandown in March on just his second outing for the yard.

Several of those who finished behind Midnight Shadow last month will take him on again.

Among them are Paul Nicholls’s Lalor, Evan Williams’s Coole Cody, who still held every chance when coming down two out, the Philip Hobbs pair of Dostal Phil and Zanza and Alan King’s Deyrann Du Carjac.

Nicky Henderson’s Fusil Raffles – winner of Wetherby’s prestigious Charlie Hall Chase at the end of October – is another contender in a fiercely competitive handicap chase.