John Gosden Believes Going Racing Will Be Safer Than Going To The Supermarket

John Gosden was over the moon and expressed his relief that there was a certain parameter set by the government as to when racing will return and said that with the behind-closed-doors safety measures, going racing will be safer than going to a supermarket.

On Monday, Boris Johnson revealed that racing could return to British tracks as soon as June 1st which could see the major Group One races across the country be fulfilled throughout the shortened season.

The sport will start up again behind closed doors with only a certain amount people able to be trackside during the race day, with very strict social distancing measures put in place by the BHA.

(Credit Racing Post) Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme on Tuesday, Gosden said: "There’s relief that we know where we’re going. Step two said that from June 1 sport can occur behind closed doors from that date onwards and we can be absolutely ready.

"Our horses have been training throughout the spring, in this lovely weather, and they’re fit and ready to run. In Newmarket we have 2,500 horses training every day, socially distanced, and the great thing about our sport is that it’s non-contact."

He added: "I’ll feel very comfortable [at a racecourse] with our staff because I’ve seen all the factors and restrictions that has been put in. I think going to the racecourse will be a great deal safer than going to the petrol station or the supermarket."

Royal Ascot is the big aim for many of the top trainers and it could end up that horses will be having their first runs at the prestigious meeting and the date set for the five day festival of 16th June is still in tact.

Gosden suggests if the Guineas meeting was moved the first weekend in June, it would work to keep the Royal meeting in its usual slot.

He explained: "It could be a fascinating meeting.

"If they run the Guineas here at the end of the first week [of June] in Newmarket you then could come back with the big races at Royal Ascot, like the St James’s Palace. You could probably get a prep race in before the Gold Cup and I think it could be fascinating.

"Remember, they’ve been racing in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and Florida throughout this pandemic and under strict conditions behind closed doors, as we will.

"There will be no crowds and who knows when that’ll occur. This is a disease that might rumble on and it’s not an easy one, we might be in this situation for months. We don’t know.

"As long as we can race then we can do our bit for the economy - we contribute £4 billion in British racing and breeding every year. It is a matter of doing it and doing it safely under biosecurity guidelines."