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Racing Behind Closed Doors Once More in UK

Following the increasing rate of spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK, racing will continue without crowds in attendance after the UK Government’s Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that approximately 75% of the UK will be moved into Tier 3 or Tier 4 restrictions beginning on Thursday. Every area where a racecourse is located in Great Britain falls under these new Tier 3/4 designations. Hancock made the announcement in the House of Commons. Spectators were allowed back to courses in early December in Tier 1 and 2 areas, but as recently as Tuesday, the BHA announced that owners were not able to attend meetings held in Tier 4 areas beginning New Year’s Day.

“Unfortunately, this new variant is now spreading across most of England and cases are doubling fast,” said Hancock. “It is therefore necessary to apply Tier 4 measures to a wider area…even in most areas not moving into Tier 4, cases are rising too, and it is therefore necessary to apply Tier 3 measures more broadly too.

“The new variant means that three-quarters of the population are now going to be in Tier 4 and almost all of the country in Tiers 3 and 4.

“And I know that Tier 3 and 4 measures place a significant burden on people, and especially on businesses affected, but I am afraid it is absolutely necessary because of the number of cases that we’ve seen.”

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Additional Covid Attendance Restrictions Announced For UK

As there is currently an increased rate of transmission of COVID-19 in the UK, British racing leaders have agreed with the UK Government to impose more stringent racemeeting restrictions beginning on Jan. 1, the British Horseracing Authority announced on Tuesday. Under the new restrictions, no owners will be permitted to attend Tier 4 race meetings and essential staff only are allowed at meetings in Tier 4 areas. In addition, no owners living in Tier 4 will be permitted to attend race meetings in Tiers 1-3. These restrictions also apply to Scotland in areas which are under Level 4 restrictions. Owners are also encouraged to check with individual racecourses before attending. Owners attending race meetings in Tiers 2 and 3 are reminded that they must comply with the BHA’s protocols, as well as national guidance.

The BHA’s Chief Medical Advisor, Dr. Jerry Hill, said on Tuesday, “Racing has worked hard to reduce the risk of transmission of the virus through the tough protocols people have followed when attending race meetings. With the NHS under pressure and a more virulent strain of COVID now circulating, we have agreed that these new restrictions are appropriate to the situation and will keep their use under review for Tiers 2 and 3. No one should attend at all if they feel unwell and any participant showing symptoms should immediately self-isolate and arrange a COVID-19 test.”

“Our priority since June has been to keep racing going as this is vital to the livelihoods of tens of thousands of people who depend upon our industry,” said the BHA’s Chief Operating Officer Richard Wayman. “We have worked hard with government to secure permission for owners to keep attending, with numbers restricted during the national lockdown. Owners are the lifeblood of our sport and we understand the disappointment these additional restrictions will cause. However, the measures, which will be kept constantly under review, will help reduce risk on the racecourse and ensure that racing is able to continue safely through these most challenging times.”

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Rare Triple For Omega Perfume

Omega Perfume (Jpn) (Swept Overboard) completed a unique hat trick with his narrow win in Tuesday’s 2000-metre G1 Tokyo Daishoten. He is the first Japanese horse to win the same Group 1 race three years in a row.

Outfooted early in the initial charge from the stalls, the grey rated in eighth three off the fence into the first turn. A bit keen in the opening quarter mile, the 1-5 chalk progressed up to sixth as Work and Love (Jpn) (Sinister Minister) held a three length advantage on the field. Improving a few more spots with a half-mile remaining, Omega Perfume remained well off the inside as the final 400 metres loomed. He let down strongly in upper stretch and challenged Casino Fountain (Jpn) (Casino Drive {Jpn}) for the lead, while History Maker (Jpn) (Empire Maker) and Westerlund (Jpn) (Neo Universe {Jpn}) were making up ground on the inside and outside, respectively. However, Omega Perfume’s determined drive wore down his rival inside the final 25 yards to win by a neck with the luckless Casino Fountain a half-length in front of Westerlund for second. History Maker was fourth, a nose behind.

Second in the Listed Japan Dirt Derby over the same track and trip as the Tokyo Daishoten in 2018, Omega Perfume did land the G3 Sirus S. one start later and claimed his first Tokyo Daishoten that December. At four, he accounted for the Listed Teio Sho that June and three starts later his second Tokyo Daishoten, incidentally exactly a year ago. The G3 Heian S. went his way in May, and runner-up performances in the Teio Sho on June 24 and the Nov. 3 Listed JBC Classic were his latest two outings prior to Tuesday’s contest.
Pedigree Notes
Omega Perfume is one of two Group 1 winner for his late sire besides dual G1 Sprinters S. hero and sire Red Falx (Jpn). He is also one of 10 black-type winners for the 2001 GI Ancient Title Breeders’ Cup H. and 2002 GI Metropolitan H. victor.
The first foal of his three-time winning dam, Omega Perfume is followed by the winning 4-year-old filly Blooming Bouquet (Jpn) (Workforce {GB}) and the placed sophomore colt Extra Note (Jpn) (I’ll Have Another). Omega Fragrance has a yearling colt by Roses in May and she was covered by Epiphaneia (Jpn) this spring.

Tuesday, Oi, Japan
TOKYO DAISHOTEN-G1, ¥136,000,000 (US$1,310,692/£971,554/€1,069,175), Oi, 12-28, 3yo/up, 2000m, 2:06.90, gd.
1–OMEGA PERFUME(JPN), 126, h, 5, Swept Overboard
                1st Dam: Omega Fragrance (Jpn), by Gold Allure (Jpn)
                2nd Dam: Beauty Make (Jpn), by Real Shadai
                3rd Dam: Sailing Beauty (Fr), by Lyphard
O-Reiko Hara; B-Shadai Farm (Jpn); T-Shogo Yasuda; J-Mirco
Demuro. ¥80,000,000. Lifetime Record: 19-9-5-2. Click for the
   eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick Rating: A+++.
   *Triple Plus*.
2–Casino Fountain (Jpn), 126, c, 4, Casino Drive–Gina Fontaine
(Jpn), by Best Tie Up (Jpn). O-Kosei Yoshihashi; B-Noboribetsu
Uemizu Farm (Jpn); ¥28,000,000.
3–Westerlund (Jpn), 126, g, 8, Neo Universe (Jpn)–Uanme, by
Marquetry. O-Sunday Racing; B-Northern Farm (Jpn);
¥16,000,000.
Margins: NK, HF, NO. Odds: 0.30, 37.30, 7.10.
Also Ran: History Maker (Jpn), Mutually (Jpn), T O Keynes (Jpn), Hana’s Legend (Jpn), Derma Louvre (Jpn), Mogiana Flavor (Jpn), Work and Love (Jpn), Nonkono Yume (Jpn), Danon Pharaoh (Jpn), Noble Saturn (Jpn), Kurosuke (Jpn), Night of Knights (Jpn), A Shin Suleyman (Jpn).
Click for the NRA chart or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO.

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John Gosden Crowned Champion Trainer

John Gosden was on Monday named champion flat trainer for the third year running and fifth time overall. Gosden’s runners earned £3,114,226 on the racecourse in 2020, more than £650,000 ahead of Aidan O’Brien. Gosden’s stable took home seven Group 1 trophies this year, including a third win in the G1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth S. for Enable (GB) (Nathaniel {Ire}) and for Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) in the G1 Gold Cup at Royal Ascot.

“I would like to thank all of my staff for all of their endeavours in this most difficult of years,” Gosden told Great British Racing. “My thanks to our owners, who have been so supportive, and to the whole racing industry for pulling together so effectively.”

Sheikh Hamdan was named champion owner, his flagbearers including the Gosden-trained G1 Falmouth S. and G1 Sun Chariot S. scorer Nazeef (GB) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), G1 King’s Stand S. and G1 Nunthorpe S. winner Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}) and G1 Sussex S. scorer Mohaather (GB) (Showcasing {GB}). Sheikh Hamdan’s prizemoney total in 2020 was £2,309,194 from 112 wins.

Sheikh Hamdan’s racing manager Angus Gold said, “To win the champion owner title is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved, it’s what we all work hard for and strive to achieve. It’s been a difficult year for everyone, but we have been blessed on the track this year with some amazing horses. While it was sad for Sheikh Hamdan not being able to come over to the likes of Royal Ascot to see them in the flesh, he is incredibly enthusiastic, and winning the champion owner title means the world to him and all the team.”

Ben Curtis took the 2020 annual flat jockeys’ title with 170 wins. Curtis won a pair of Group 3s in June before a career high with Dandalla (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) in the G3 Albany S. at Royal Ascot, on whom he also won the G2 Duchess of Cambridge S. the following month.

“Given the lockdown in March, I set out to pass the 100 winners mark, so to have surpassed that along with the many other talented jockeys in the weighing room at the moment, such as Hollie [Doyle] and Tom [Marquand], is a great achievement,” he said. “For us to have reached those figures, all things considered, is fantastic for British racing.”

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