Horse racing returns as delayed Flat season finally gets underway at Newcastle following shutdown

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Horse racing returned from an exodus of more than two months with a bumper ten-race card on the all-weather track at Newcastle on Monday.

Racing had been suspended since mid-March because of the coronavirus pandemic, but was given the green light to become the first major UK sport to restart by the government over the weekend.

Such was the popularity of the meeting, which received 369 entries and 120 declarations, that the original eight-race schedule had to be expanded.

Racing took place in front of empty stands, with jockeys made to wear protective face masks as part of a wide range of safety precautions, including the capping of field sizes to a maximum of 12 runners.

Frankly Darling was an impressive winner and could be bound for the Oaks
Getty Images

Zodiakos had the honour of winning the first race of the delayed flat season in the Welcome Back British Racing Handicap, leading home a double for trainer Roger Fell under jockey Jimmy Sullivan.

Last year’s champion jockey Oisin Murphy picked up his first win of the new season, producing Alignak perfectly to win the 17:05, John Gosden’s filly Frankly Darling – a daughter of the great Frankel – justified odds-on favouritism to win the 17:40 in smart fashion.

There was a sad tinge to the day, however, as the Philip Kirby-trained December Second suffered a fatal fall in the 17:05.

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