CHICHESTER, ENGLAND - JULY 30: General views on day three of the Qatar Goodwood Festival at Goodwood Racecourse on July 30, 2015 in Chichester, England. (Photo by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images for Qatar Goodwood Festival)
Tickets are on sale for the Qatar Goodwood (27-31 July) and Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor (18-21 August) Flat racing festivals as hopes abound that fans will be able to return to sporting venues this summer.
A number of other racecourses have also shared early plans for the return of spectators this year, in line with Covid protocols and the Government roadmap out of lockdown.
The latest news from Royal Ascot (15-19 June), dated 22 February, is that the venue hopes to welcome racegoers to the royal meeting “assuming the Government plan remains on track”. A further update is expected from the racecourse “as early as possible in April”.
“We are delighted at the prospect of welcoming members and the wider general public back to these two key racing festivals this summer,” said Goodwood racecourse managing director, Adam Waterworth.
“Everyone has been incredibly supportive through very challenging times, and these fixtures will bring people back together to witness this sport back at its best.”
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A statement from Tokyo organisers said reasons for the decision include the fact that the Covid situation is still ‘very
William Derby, clerk of the course and chief executive of York racecourse added: “Racegoers have been starved of live racing action for over a year now, and this is something for all our fans to look forward to. Being large open-air venues, we have the space and capacity to make sure everyone feels happy about being back.
“We can’t wait to join racegoers in seeing top-class racing action, sharing those moments and experiences that can return, with the hoped-for easing of protocols.”
Bookings at both York and Goodwood will come with a “money-back guarantee” and both venues have assured fans that whatever Covid-19 measures are required will be in place on racedays.
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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.
