Horse racing goes on in Australia, Asia despite Corona

Action from a horse racing event in Sydney on Saturday

Punters in the UK had to make do with a virtual Grand National this weekend, but in Australia and Asia they are still able to enjoy a flutter on the real thing, albeit only online.

Sydney's autumn racing festival burst out of the gates on Saturday to little fanfare on an Australia Derby Day held without the customary throngs of well-dressed spectators. Royal Randwick racecourse was open only to "essential" Racing New South Wales and Australian Turf Club staff, as well as a handful of participants and media.

Owners were kept away as jockeys competed in the first day of the Aus$20 million "The Championships", though the day's races were broadcast live with bets taken online. Champion New Zealand trainer Murray Baker recorded a fifth win in the Derby with Quick Thinker.

Racing in Australia has continued behind closed doors in all states except Tasmania, which last week enforced a shutdown. Five cards were scheduled on Sunday from New South Wales to Western Australia while in Asia, behind closed doors meetings were also taking place in Hong Kong and Japan.

Horse racing is one of the few global sports to be left standing in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic, though the Singapore Turf Club finally caved in on Friday and suspended all racing until May 4 after soldiering on with a reduced programme in March.

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