A racecourse has revealed plans to test up to 5,000 people a day for coronavirus to help bring back racing fans.
Chester Race Company, which owns Chester and Bangor-on-Dee racecourses, has developed a testing programme to be used as part of plans for spectators to attend the 2021 Boodles May Festival.
Plans for the festival, held from 5-7 May at Chester racecourse, would also include social distancing measures and racegoers would be restricted to specified areas.
“We have been working very hard with local authorities to build a clear operational procedure plan that could allow us to safely welcome back a limited number of spectators for the Boodles May Festival,” said Chester Race Company chief executive Richard Thomas.
“The delivery of mass on-site testing is at the core of our stringent health and safety measures. Chester Racecourse could provide on-site testing facilities for 5,000 attendees per day, with results within minutes.”
The plan involves a lateral flow testing programme that would take place in three separate testing sites at the racecourse, processing 1,800 tests per hour, and all attendees would be given a set time and location for their test.
There would be a one-way system throughout the festival, racegoers will be assigned a seating area and will remain within their enclosure for the day, and there will also be staggered exit times.
Horse & Hound Newsletter
Never miss out on the latest happenings in the equestrian world
Food, drink and betting will be available in all enclosures, subject to racecourse safety protocols, along with contactless order and collection points, and serving staff across the venue will have appropriate PPE.
“We don’t know what different restrictions or changes might be in place, but we know we can run a sport
“Our overall aim is to deliver a safe, secure environment for an enjoyable three days of racing and we hope that testing will give an added confidence to our attendees, customers, and staff, whose health and safety is of paramount importance,” Mr Thomas added.
“We’re proud of our innovative approach here at Chester and are keen to be one of the first venues to be able to bring crowds back safely to live sport. Chester is known for providing a unique race day experience for all attendees and we have developed a number of new socially distanced concepts, which will deliver an exemplary level of safety and service”.
Horse & Hound magazine, out every Thursday, is packed with all the latest news and reports, as well as interviews, specials, nostalgia, vet and training advice. Find how you can enjoy the magazine delivered to your door every week, plus options to upgrade to access our H&H Plus online service which brings you breaking news as it happens as well as other benefits.
Stay in touch with all the news in the run-up to and throughout the major shows and events during 2026 and beyond with a Horse & Hound subscription. Subscribe today for all you need to know ahead of these major events, plus online reports on the action as it happens from our expert team of reporters and in-depth analysis in our special commemorative magazines. Have a subscription already? Set up your unlimited website access now
Lucy is an experienced news journalist, reporter and presenter. Since joining the Horse & Hound team in 2015, Lucy has reported from major global sporting events including the Tokyo Paralympic Games and multiple European Championships, as well as Badminton, Burghley and London, to name a few. She has covered current affairs and sports news across the full spectrum of equestrian disciplines and racing, as well as human and equine welfare, industry news and court cases.
