COVID-19: Phoenix Thoroughbreds pin hopes on Luck on Sunday

Dubai: Phoenix Thoroughbreds greeted the UK government’s provisional time table for return of the sport behind closed doors and the resumption of British racing from Monday (June 1).

Amer Abdulaziz Salman, CEO of Phoenix Thoroughbreds, said in a statement: “We are as much relieved as we are excited to see the resumption of racing in the UK. We congratulate everyone who has worked so hard to get the sport we love going again.

“We have a team of around 60 horses in the UK and Ireland this season, including some very exciting prospects so it’s very pleasing we now can make plans for them,” he added.

“Hopefully we can start with a bang with Luck On Sunday (Galileo). She obviously has a pedigree to die for and John Quinn has been happy with her progress.

“She’s still developing, so she may just need her debut run but whatever she does on Monday she’ll improve on her next time out.”

Amer Abdulaziz said everybody at Phoenix Thoroughbreds is keen for racing to return but in the appropriate manner and to ensure that racing can continue safely.

Significant changes have already been implemented across the industry – in training yards, at studs and on racecourses – to ensure strict adherence to social distancing measures and to help reduce the spread of the virus, the Phoenix statement added.

‘‘It is essential that strict measures are to be applied on race days and the entire industry continues to work together to develop and implement the necessary requirements to provide the safest possible environment for all attendees.

‘‘We welcome that these protocols are to be continually reviewed in line with UK government’s guidance as it progresses and are designed to safeguard everyone’s health and wellbeing during the current and continuing COVID-19 situation,’’ the statement added.