No spectators allowed at St Leger Festival from Thursday

(Reuters) - Fans will not be allowed to attend St Leger meeting at Doncaster from Thursday, following instruction from local health authorities, organisers said https://www.doncaster-racecourse.co.uk/news/racing/statement-regarding-the-2020-st-leger-festival on Wednesday.

Tough new lockdown restrictions on social gatherings across England are to be announced on Wednesday as Prime Minister Boris Johnson tries to control a spike in COVID-19 infections.

The Arena Racing Company (Arc), which operates the Doncaster track, has confirmed the remainder of the four-day meeting will be held without spectators.

"The race meeting will continue on a 'behind closed doors' basis, as per all other race meetings currently taking place in Britain," said Mark Spincer, the managing director of Arena's racing division.

"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."

The Town Moor horse racing venue welcomed around 2,500 fans to Wednesday's opening day amid uncertainty over new government rules.

It is the first crowd at a British horse racing event since the novel coronavirus lockdown, as part of a government pilot scheme for sporting events.

(Reporting by Hardik Vyas in Bengaluru, editing by Pritha Sarkar)