"All race meetings in Britain from Tuesday until the end of March will take place behind closed doors, the BHA has announced.
The fixtures at Taunton and Wetherby on Tuesday to be the first in England to take place behind closed doors. The approach was taken at Kelso in Scotland on Monday.
A statement by the racing industry steering group said the intention was for scheduled race meetings to take place wherever possible, warning that some may have to be cancelled. It said every effort will be made to notify customers and the betting industry at the earliest opportunity.
With race meetings due to happen every day — and in the light of possible staff absences, including in critical roles, and in order to protect industry staff and support the wider effort to free up critical public services — the steering group said the aim was to agree a schedule that was sustainable.
The plan was agreed on Monday by the sport’s tripartite leadership, including the Racecourse Association, The Horsemen’s Group and the BHA.
Nick Rust, chief executive of the BHA, said: “Racecourses and racing yards are embedded in their local communities and we are acutely aware of our responsibilities to protect public health.
“The restrictions we are putting in place to close racing to spectators and limit attendees will reduce demand on public services. We also have a range of measures in place designed in response to the government’s guidance on public health and we will continue to update these as appropriate.
“We acknowledge that today’s decision will also impact on local businesses, especially hotels and restaurants, who are struggling at this time. We are following the government’s advice to strike a balance between protecting public health and maintaining business activity and will continue to do so. We thank our customers and staff for their support.”