The British Horseracing Authority says it is still hopeful of flat racing returning next month, despite York‘s Dante Festival being cancelled.
The three-day meeting at the Knavesmire was due to be held from May 13 to 15, but officials at the North Yorkshire track have decided to cancel the festival as well as the day’s racing planned for May 30.
It’s yet another major racing fixture to be lost due to the coronavirus pandemic, but the BHA are still eyeing a potential return for racing in May, with that likely to be behind closed doors.
The decision to return to racing has to be given approval by the government, while the BHA have confirmed that no spectators will be allowed to attend race meetings before June.
BHA chief executive Nick Rust said: “We stopped racing in March to protect the health and safety of the public and to limit demands on the NHS.
“We are in touch with government as part of our development of a responsible, coordinated plan for the return of sport when it’s appropriate to do so.”
York officials have already set provisional dates for next season’s Dante Festival, with the three days of racing due to take place on Wednesday May 12, Thursday 13 and Friday 14, 2021.
