Horse Racing-Thrumming hooves marks return of English sport at Newcastle

LONDON, June 1 (Reuters) - The thrum of hooves pounding the ground returned to Newcastle racecourse on Monday as competitive sport resumed in England after the shutdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In normal times the 1pm at Newcastle would barely register beyond the Racing Post and the country's betting shops.

But as Zodiackos, a 22-1 shot ridden by Jimmy Sullivan, galloped past the winning post on the all-weather circuit, it represented a big leap forward in the nation's quest to return to some kind of sporting normality.

"I was so nervous about today as there is was a lot of expectation on us as we are the first sport back," Martin Cruddace, CEO of ARC racing who own the course, said of the 10-race card, featuring 45 jockeys and 120 horses.

"It's behind us now and we have to demonstrate we can do this sport safely."

With Premier League soccer gearing up for a return on June 17, all eyes were on Newcastle after the government on Saturday gave the green light for a return of competitive sport in England, provided strict criteria, including no spectators and a raft of health measures, were met.

No horse-racing has taken place for 76 days and the resumption was possible only in a tightly-controlled environment.

Access to the course was limited and everyone present had to have completed a medical questionnaire online, undergone a temperature check on arrival and adhered to strict social-distancing rules.

Jockeys wore face masks during the race.

"I think we're slightly fortunate because we're not a contact sport and I think that gives us confidence to go first," Cruddace said. "But, of course, we are paying particular attention to every detail we could possibly think of."

British horse-racing is estimated to contribute around 4 billion pounds ($4.96 billion) into the economy, with 20,000 people involved directly or indirectly in the industry.

While sports fans will hope the return of racing at Newcastle will pave the way for more sports to resume, the bookmakers are also breathing a sigh of relief.

"The Newcastle markets have been really lively this morning with volume and turnover well ahead of what you could expect for Newcastle on a Monday afternoon," a spokesman for Betfair said.

A packed day of racing at Newcastle features 10 races, 45 jockeys and 120 horses, but no owners, punters or bookmakers.

As other sports prepare for a return, horse-racing will take centre stage this week with other courses opening up and this weekend Newmarket hosting the prestigious 2,000 Guineas. ($1 = 0.8068 pounds) (Reporting by Martyn Herman Editing by Christian Radnedge)