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Doncaster Back Behind Closed Doors

After around 2,500 spectators were admitted on the opening day of Doncaster’s St Leger Festival on Wednesday as part of a pilot project for reintroducing fans to sporting events, the remainder of the festival will be behind closed doors with Prime Minister Boris Johnson once again limiting gathers to six people. The directive came from the Doncaster Council. A crowd of about 6,000 had been expected for the G1 St Leger on Saturday.

“We have had confirmation this afternoon from the local authority that we will not be able to admit a crowd to the final three days of the St Leger Festival, Thursday 10 to Saturday 12 September,” said Mark Spincer, managing director of racecourse owner Arena Racing Company’s racing division. “The race meeting will continue on a ‘behind closed doors’ basis, as per all other race meetings currently taking place in Britain.

“This pilot event represents a hugely important step not just for our business but for the whole of British racing as well as the sports and hospitality industries as a whole. We do, of course, fully understand and respect the decision and will be contacting all of our customers booked for the remaining three days as a matter of urgency. We were pleased to work closely with Doncaster Council to set up this pilot event in the manner that we had, but matters beyond anyone’s control, and the data regarding local rates that have come to light today, mean we will not be able to welcome a crowd from Thursday onwards.”

Dr. Rupert Suckling, director of public health for Doncaster, said in a statement, “The current rate of infection for the borough currently stands at 10.6 infections per 100,000 people which I have been updated on today and this is an increase due to a range of factors including an increase in testing and a lag in the test results coming in. Therefore on the grounds of public health and public safety, I have instructed the racecourse to hold the St Leger Festival behind closed doors from tomorrow. I appreciate this decision may not be met with universal agreement but it is the safest and most appropriate way to move forward for everyone’s best interests in the borough and beyond.”

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Latest UK Racing Resumption Update

The latest racing resumption update has been published by the British Horseracing Authority on Tuesday. Changes have been announced to the Flat handicap qualification, 2-year-old novice and maiden programme, 0-50 classified races, sire and dam restricted races, amateur programme, race planning forum, 2020 Flat Pattern Programme and a general reminder about raceday protocols.

The handicap qualifications will return to their pre-COVID policy of three runs, however, with the juvenile novice and maiden programme, changes will be made combining restricted races into one race type. Until the end of the Flat season, 0-50 races will no longer be carded, but will return in January. The Racing Group has also reduced the number of sire and dam restricted races from 15 to eight. If trainers have questions about the race programme, the BHA requests they can utilise the Race Planning Forum or Racing Admin. Finally, the Flat pattern and Listed Programme will now return to the original 2020 race schedule. For more information, go to www.britishracing.com.

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Muhtathir Passes Away at 25

Four-time highweighted Muhtathir (GB) (Elmaamul-Majmu, by Al Nasr {Fr}), who won twice at the highest level for Godolphin, has passed away from the infirmities of old age, Shadwell Stud announced on Tuesday. The 25-year-old chestnut was bred and raced by Shadwell and trained by John Gosden through his 3-year-old season, where he claimed the G2 Celebration Mile. He was also second in the G1 French 2000 Guineas. For the rest of his career he bore the silks of Godolphin and was trained by Saeed bin Suroor to victories in the G1 Prix Jacques le Marois at five and the G1 Gran Premio Vittorio di Capua the year prior.

Retired with eight wins from 23 starts, he spent most of his stud career at Haras du Mezeray in France, where he sired 18 black-type winners on the Flat, 12 at group level. Doctor Dino (Fr), Mauralakana (Fr), Satwa Queen (Fr), Mille et Mille (GB) and Indonesienne (Ire) made up his quintet of Group 1 winners. As a broodmare sire, Muhtathir has sired 10 black-type winners so far, including Group 1 winners Holdthasigreen (Fr) (Hold That Tiger), Robin of Navan (Fr) (American Post {GB}) and Mkfancy (Fr) (Makfi {GB}). He is also starting to make an impact in the National Hunt sphere, with Cheltenham Festival winner Envoi Allen (Fr) and Grade 1 hurdler Quel Destin (Fr).

“Muhtathir was a hugely talented performer on the racecourse and transferred that ability and will to win to his stock,” said Shadwell Stud Director Richard Lancaster. “He produced several high-class Flat performers and in his later years became a highly sought-after sire of jumpers. He was still hugely popular this year, covering a limited book of 40 mares at €6,000.

“I must give a special mention to the team at Haras du Mezeray, who did a superb job managing the horse and giving him the platform to flourish in his second career.”

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Son of MG1SW Distaffer Rizeena Back on Show

Observations on the European Racing Scene turns the spotlight on the best European races of the day, highlighting well-pedigreed horses early in their careers, horses of note returning to action and young runners that achieved notable results in the sales ring. Wednesday’s Insights features a son of MG1SW Rizeena (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}).

1.10 Doncaster, Mdn, £30,000, 2yo, 8fT
Sheikh Rashid Dalmook Al Maktoum’s LATEST GENERATION (GB) (Frankel {GB}), a son of G1 Moyglare Stud S. and G1 Coronation S. heroine Rizeena (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), gets a second chance to shed maiden status and is upped to one mile after hitting the board in a hot seven-furlong maiden at Sandown last month. Rivals to the Simon and Ed Crisford trainee include Shadwell’s hitherto unraced Moktasaab (GB) (Lope de Vega {Ire}), who is a 500,000gns Tattersalls October Book 1 half-brother to G1 Prix Jean Romanet and G1 Prix de l’Opera victress Speedy Boarding (GB) (Shamardal), representing Owen Burrows; and Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum’s fellow newcomer Royal Champion (Ire) (Shamardal), who is a Roger Varian-trained half to the dual stakes-placed Outbox (GB) (Frankel {GB}) out of G2 Lancashire Oaks winner Emirates Queen (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}).

5.00 Cork, Mdn, €15,500, 2yo, 6fT
JEROBOAM (War Front), one of two Derrick Smith colourbearers representing Aidan O’Brien, is an untried son of Listed Naas Oaks Trial victress and GI Belmont Oaks Invitational third Outstanding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire) and is set to face 15 opponents in this fully subscribed event. They include John Lavery’s Markievicz (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}), who is the second foal out of the Lavery family’s prized G2 Park S. and G3 Athasi S. victress Viztoria (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}).

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