The Spotlight Sports Group has announced to employees that a reduction in headcount could not be avoidedJobs are to be lost at the Racing Post, the daily paper which serves horse racing and its followers, with its owner blaming loss of revenue caused by the Covid-19 crisis. The news is a blow to staff, most of whom had put up with temporary salary cuts to help sustain the business during its recent 76-day hiatus from print.Having accepted those cuts, which averaged around 25% but went up to 50% for higher earners, staff were encouraged when the Post returned to print last week at the same time as racing resumed. The Guardian understands that salaries have now been restored for active...
An excellent draw can help Aidan O’Brien’s runner to success in the first Classic of the season at NewmarketOfficials at Newmarket have made a big effort over the years to ensure fairness for the 2,000 Guineas, mostly siting the starting stalls in the centre of the course and often with a cutaway rail to open things up in the closing stages. But the need to accommodate four busy days of racing will prevent such a layout this time and the stalls will be hard against the stands rail, which could help Arizona (3.35) in today’s Classic.While it is always tricky to anticipate the way a big field will shake itself out, Ryan Moore seems likely to gain a prominent position...
‘There’s not gonna be many hours slept’ says trainer aiming for win with Kenzai Warrior two years after saddling 50-1 runner-upRoger Teal is so immersed in training horses, he literally forgot how old he was. When his birthday came around on Sunday, he told friends he was turning 54. “My wife told me: ‘You’re 53, you doughnut’. Bit of a bonus, really!” Related: Talking Horses: bookies behave themselves for racing's return The finishing touches being applied to Kenzai warrior as we prepare for the Guineas. Amazing Jockey club gallops mean we don't need to have a racetrack spin.Here he is (near side) alongside the great Tip two win pic.twitter.com/AuiTDldfLwTips by Chris Cook Continue reading...
The profit margin built into prices on day one of racing’s return to action was kept within very respectable limitsOne of the interesting aspects of Monday’s resumption at Newcastle was the sight of bookmakers behaving themselves. Well, ‘sight’ is wrong because all the betting action occurred online but the evidence is there for all to see in the results section of Tuesday morning’s Racing Post, which shows that the profit margin built into bookies’ prices on day one was kept within very respectable limits.This matters because Starting Prices cannot be determined by on-course trade, the familiar, tested and mostly trusted system that has been in place for eons. The public can’t get into racecourses just now, so racecourse bookmakers are...
Racing in Ireland has been cleared to resume behind closed doors on 8 June, three weeks earlier than initially scheduledRacing in Ireland has been cleared to resume behind closed doors on 8 June, three weeks earlier than initially scheduled under the Irish government’s plan to ease its coronavirus lockdown, after the sport’s lobbying to be exempted from a ban on all professional sports until 29 June proved successful. The news means that, if the British Horseracing Authority’s plans to resume from 1 June also succeed, all of Europe’s major racing nations will be back in action by mid-June.As in Britain, Ireland will resume under strict protocols to stop the spread of Covid-19. Only key personnel will be allowed on course,...