South African Racing Remains on Hold
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Photo: Edward Whitaker/Racing Post
Horses racing in better days at Kenilworth
Racing in South Africa continues to be on indefinite hold with the May 3 meeting at Greyville the latest to be canceled due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Racing had been scheduled to return behind closed doors at Kenilworth May 1 and was due to be followed May 3 by Turffontein's big-race card featuring group 1 and group 2 action in the shape of the South African Derby (G1), South African Oaks (G2), and Horse Chestnut Stakes (G1).
However, both those meetings were canceled the night before they were scheduled with the racing authorities continuing to await clearance from the government.
The three Turffontein races have been rescheduled for May 10.
A statement from the National Horseracing Authority said on Saturday: "With no further feedback from the government regarding whether racing can start again, the meeting scheduled for Greyville on Sunday has been called off."
The NHA has announced that entries for race meetings scheduled beyond May 11 will be suspended for the time being.
Looking to resume racing in the wake of COVID-19 shutdowns, racing operators initially agreed to run the Vodacom Durban July (G1) on the last Saturday in July, with the Gold Cup meeting pushed out to the end of August, in order to allow the Highveld to move a slightly revamped Champions Day (featuring the Champions Challenge, G1, and six other major races) to the last Saturday in May.