Flat-out effort to save horse racing in Jersey

Friday 07 August 2020

Local horse racing will come to an end if the Jersey Race Club fails to raise £100,000.

The 188-year-old club has launched a fundraising campaign to keep it afloat. Its finances have been left in a perilous state by Covid-19, which has caused the cancellation of its entire 2020 season.

Club secretary Andy Cadoret said that the situation was very serious.

The club has asked its 400 members to pay their 2021 fees early and has also launched a JustGiving page, which has a £50,000 target.

We need your help. COVID-19 has hit us really hard and we need your help to raise funds to continue racing at Les Landes into 2021 & beyond. https://t.co/Set6cFQR1c.

— Jersey Race Club (@jerseyraceclub) August 5, 2020

Pictured: Jersey Race Club has launched an appeal to raise £50,000 on JustGiving.

“80% of our income comes from race days, so we’ve got a massive hole in our finances,” he said.

“The other 20% comes from membership fees, paid at the beginning of the year, and thankfully most members have shown their support by not asking for their money back.

“We need to raise £100,000 in total, otherwise there won’t be any racing next year. We obviously hope that it doesn’t come to that, but the risk is real.”

Pictured: Horse racing could come to an end in Jersey after 188 years.

Mr Cadoret added that he was one of two paid full-time staff, who had been supported by the Government’s co-funded payroll scheme, and the club also had to maintain the Les Landes course, which is leased from the States.

“We get more than 3,500 people on race days, so it is one of the biggest spectator sports in the island. There are also seven local trainers and a lot of catering concessions, marquee providers and other businesses who rely on the club.

"There would be a lot of affected people if the worst happened.”

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