One of the big highlights of the flat season is the Guineas meeting at Newmarket at the start of May where racing fans get to see the first Grade Ones of the summer along with the first two winners of Classic contests.
However, this season's meeting already looked to be doomed with the on going Coronavirus pandemic suspending all racing, but now the BHA have cancelled the initial entries for both the 1000 and 2000 Guineas.
The governing body last week announced that there would be no racing in Britain until the end of April at the earliest but the racing world took another hit yesterday when the entires for the first two classics of the season were cancelled not giving great signs for the actual race going ahead itself.
The BHA confirmed races which were previously said to be early closers will go back to the normal five or six-day stage declarations as and when racing and resumes.
This change is set to affect prize-money levels, which will be advertised 10 days before each race, with entry fees adjusted accordingly.
AP O'Brien has revealed 2,000 Guineas winner MAGNA GRECIA could return to action in the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes on Qipco Champions Day at Ascot next month, after missing the majority of this season with injury 🏆
— The Winners Enclosure (@TWEnclosure) September 19, 2019
He's as big as 12/1 👀
🎥 @RacingTV pic.twitter.com/jgcz3q41cM
Both the Guineas races entries have already been closed but have now been officially cancelled for the foreseeable future until it is more certain on when racing will return.
Another postponement in racing will see the planned consultation over the use of the whip be put back with the Horse Welfare board and other similar parties agreeing to delay the talks over this matter.
(Credit At The Races) Barry Johnson, the Horse Welfare Board’s Independent Chair, said: “The Horse Welfare Board fully supported the BHA’s request to postpone the planned consultation on the whip and will work with the BHA, at an appropriate time, to agree a new timetable.
“We are keen to ensure that any consultation on the whip is done thoroughly and well, with maximum involvement from people in the sport, which would be enormously challenging in the current circumstances.
“This postponement will allow British racing to focus on more immediate concerns relating to the welfare of people and horses. The Horse Welfare Board will support these efforts in any possible way, and applauds the exceptional work that thousands of people in the industry are continuing to do on a daily basis, in caring for future, current and retired racehorses.”