Boris Johnson has said that up to 4000 fans will be allowed to attend racetracks in the UK from Next week while Chief Executive of the association of race courses Paddy Walsh has recently said he did not think fans will be allowed entry until the second half of next year.
The horse racing industry employs up to 40,000 people and has not had racegoers in attendance since lock-down, all though they were allowed to race since June.
Locally this would mean our big races days Goffs Thyestes Day and Connolloy’s Red Mills chase day in Gowran will have no body in attendance
Gowran Park Race Course Manager Eddie Scally says there needs to be a more positive approach taken.
“I found it really hard to take, that we are that far away from being able to let customers back in and I don’t think that’s the case. I think with vaccines coming on side, it’s time to start looking at it more positively. I think we can be reviewing the setup seeing if we can start allowing owners and racing club members back in. Just start turning tap back on slowly to get it going again”