It's been a long ten weeks in more ways than one, and without any horse racing in the UK, we've had to adapt to following the sport from elsewhere around the globe - but it's not quite the same, is it?.
Well, the great news for everyone is that normal service in the UK racing world is all primed for a resumption - and it all gets under way with a bumper 10-race card at Newcastle on Monday.
The British Horseracing Authority has certainly not been idle and has sorted out a full programme of mouthwatering action lined up for the week ahead, and beyond.
- Mon June 1st Newcastle
- Tue June 2nd Newcastle and Kempton
- Wed June 3rd Kempton and Yarmouth
- Thu June 4th Newmarket and Newcastle
- Fri June 5th Newmarket and Lingfield
- Sat June 6th Newmarket, Lingfield and Newcastle
- Sun June 7th Newmarket, Lingfield and Haydock
If all goes to plan, Lingfield will host the Derby and Oaks trials as part of its Friday card, while on the same day Newmarket will include the Coronation Cup, the Brigadier Gerard Stakes and the Paradise Stakes, which have been rescheduled from the cancelled meetings at Epsom, Sandown and Ascot respectively. Newmarket’s own classics, the 2000 Guineas and 1000 Guineas should hopefully go ahead on the Saturday and Sunday, a month later than normal.
The Derby and the Oaks are also in line to take place a month later, while in between Royal Ascot’s original mid-June spot still intact and has 36 high quality races lined up.
Meanwhile, across the Irish sea, a June 8th meeting at Naas has been confirmed as the reboot date for racing in Ireland, with the Irish 1000 and 2000 Guineas scheduled for the following weekend.
Of course, with no early-season form to go on, finding winners and value will be no easy task for bettors and tipsters alike, so we could be in for some interesting results and some wide open betting markets.
One thing’s for sure, though - we can’t wait to find out!