THE livelihoods of 28,000 staff involved in the Irish horse racing industry came under immediate risk on Tuesday as the government announced that all sporting events would be suspended until at least April 19th.

The unprecedented move - aimed at stemming the spread of Covid-19 - meant that racing could no longer be held even behind closed doors. Now the Irish industry has been left in the same position as its counterparts in the UK and France, where total suspensions are also in force.