Racecourses

Return to racing: “We’ll tell you 10 minutes before first race”

Published

11 months ago

14th May 2020

Return to racing: “We’ll tell you when, 10 minutes before first race”

Senior steward at Scutter Park, Gareth Timms, answers some of your questions about the return to racing

Nobody has missed racing more than me: giving completely misleading going reports, telling those jockeys off, throwing drunken fighting oiks out on to the dual carriageway. It's why I do the job.

But UK horse racing will resume in the next few weeks, and what everyone wants to know is when?

Keeping you all informed is a priority,that’s why we’ll be giving you all notice ten minutes before the first race.

I know, I know - very generous eh? Our friends in Beiing built a hospital in six days so running a few horses round a field should be a piece of cake.

Yes, there are racecourse personnel, medics, veterinary staff, administrative staff, fixtures, race planning, stewards, broadcasters, media, bookmakers, trainers, jockeys and racing staff who all need to coordinate together, but how much time do they really need to get their hair done?

Some horses will be fat and out of shape and need plenty of time to get fit you say? Some of you are bound to be non triers.

Why are the French up and running and not us? I hear you ask. Racing at Paris Longchamp, Chantilly and Saint-Cloud – pfft, they’re just showing off.

Punters wait 37 mins for photo finish while judge gets bet on

To those of you asking why we’re all of a sudden bothered about public perception when normally we couldn’t give a toss about real integrity issues, like bookmakers paying trainers and jockeys …actually you’ve got me there.

But what are we waiting for? I hear you ask. It’s not like we’re keeping everyone in the dark while we pile money onto the ‘Return to Racing’ markets on Betfair, is it?

Certainly not…(*aside) Put me another monkey on June 1^st, would you?