The cold spell of weather which hit the country earlier in February led to the cancellation of many National Hunt fixtures and even a few all weather Flat meetings had to be cancelled due to snow at Newcastle and a frozen track at Chelmsford.
With it looking increasingly likely there won’t be any crowds allowed on racecourses for some time, the big National Hunt festivals at Cheltenham and Aintree look set to be staged behind closed doors and that could even be the case heading into the Flat season with the Derby meeting at Epsom and Royal Ascot unlikely to be open for paying spectators.
The lack of crowds means a lack of income for racecourses which will continue to have a knock on effect on prize money which when compared to other major racing nations is already low.
There will, however, be plenty of prize money on offer at Lingfield Park on April 2 when All-Weather Finals Day takes place, the richest days racing on the all-weather in Europe. Horses who have a high enough rating having raced three times during the all-weather season, which began on October 20, or who have won a Fast Track Qualifier during the season are eligible to take part. There are four Fast Track Qualifiers with each of the six categories. Three-Year-Olds, Sprint, Fillies & Mares, Mile, Middle Distance and Marathon, and the winners of these qualifiers are guaranteed a run in their respective final.
Three-Year-Olds
Three of the four qualifiers have been run, Significantly won the first on the opening day of the season at Newcastle, Victory Heights took the second at Wolverhampton in early December and Mighty Gurkha was successful in the most recent one at Kempton on January 25.
Denne historien er fra March 2021-utgaven av Racing Ahead.
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Denne historien er fra March 2021-utgaven av Racing Ahead.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Tragedy Hits Racing Family - Nick Townsend reels from shock attack on John Hunt's wife and daughters
Nick Townsend reels from shock attack on John Hunt's wife and daughters. I will be far from alone in recent days in being overcome by emotions ranging from utter disbelief to revulsion upon hearing of the unspeakable acts perpetrated upon John Hunt's family, resulting in the death of his wife Carol and daughters, Hannah and Louise.
AUDIENCE IS ERUPTING
John Anthony reveals the latest top speedsters after another Glorious Goodwood
HORSE OF A LIFETIME
Graham Buddry pays fresh tribute to track legend Sea The Stars - surely one of the greatest ever
IT'S TIME TO TAKE STOCK
Paul Jacobs looks forward to seeing some big on-track questions answered
PLAYING TO THE WHISTLE
lan Heitman flies about to keep pace with a rush of two-year-old Flat action
WINNING JOY ON A BUDGET
Richard Eagle takes a trip to Windsor to check out peoples' route into the port of kings
GIFT HORSES AND FRENCH LESSONS
Robert Cooper finds 'retirement' is keeping him busy
FEUD GETS THE PARTY ROLLING
Karl Hedley savours the Galway Festival action and picks out the summer highlights at Ballybrit
ROCKING THE MONEY BAGS
Simon Nott reveals his recent experiences from trips to Brighton and Ascot
FLYING EVE'S BORN TO WIN
Nick Townsend talks to in-form trainer Eve Johnson Houghton