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03
Jun 2020
Ripon races ready to resume behind closed doors
Horseracing at Ripon resumes on June 20th, albeit behind closed doors and with strict social distancing measures in place.
For James Hutchinson, who is clerk of the course and managing director of Ripon Racecourse Company, it has been a long wait since the autumn, when the last meeting was staged at Yorkshire's 'garden racecourse'.
This season's April and May meetings were wiped out by Covid-19, but James (pictured below, left at a pre-coronavius meeting) remains philosophical.
He told The Stray Ferret:
Before then, in addition to the evening meeting on Saturday 20th June, there will be meetings on 8th and 24th July and the 6th, 16th and 31st August - all behind closed doors.
On each date, there will be an eight-race card with a maximum of 12 runners per race, ensuring that the number of stable staff, jockeys and trainers present will be in manageable numbers, alongside the course's own employees, stewards, clerk of the scales, starter, vets and ambulance crews required to attend.
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Social distancing and hygiene measures will be in force across the course, in the changing room and the parade ring and, like the first meeting since lockdown staged at Newcastle, jockeys will wear face masks before, during and after each race.
While punters will be unable to watch the action on course, the races will be live on Sky Sports Racing Channel and with bookmakers due to reopen from 15th June, those who want a bet will be able to do so and watch the racing action beamed into the betting shops.
James, pointed out:
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