'An important addition' - Curragh chief welcomes sectional timing trial at track

Irish racing will belatedly move one step closer to rolling out sectional timing technology on Wednesday evening as the Curragh takes part in trials using speed sensing equipment.

The course's chief executive Brian Kavanagh recognises the importance of the service on the international stage and was keen for the technology to be implemented at the home of the Irish Classics as soon as possible after a five-year delay.

The Racing Post understands that about half of Irish tracks will take part in sectional timing trials over the coming months through the Racecourse Media Group's timing partner Coursetrack.

Each course is expected to fund the cost of operating the technology at their fixtures, estimated to be between €1,000 to €1,500 per meeting.

Kavanagh said: "We're looking forward to it. It is being operated through HRI thanks to Darren Lawlor and the team there. We had indicated that we wanted to operate it here at the Curragh sooner rather than later and we're really looking forward to the trial and seeing what the output of it is like. We're keen to bring it in.

"It's an important addition, particularly for Flat racing, and I'd be keen to offer the service; but we've got to make sure it's right. We've got to make sure it's up to scratch and that's what the trial is about.

"If you're selling your pictures internationally, they expect timing systems to be standard."

The delayed rollout of sectional timing technology in Ireland has been a contentious issue for several years.

Paddy Walsh: said plans for the technology to generate income through new in-running betting processes had not materialised

SIS holds the rights to implement sectional technology as part of Irish racing's media rights deal struck in 2016, an agreement worth around £39 million a year which expires at the end of 2023.

However, they have not managed to deliver on their commitment to introduce sectional timing at every Irish course from January 2017, having initially claimed it had the potential "to revolutionise Irish racing" and potentially "change how punters bet on racing forever".

In February, Association of Irish Racecourses CEO Paddy Walsh told the Racing Post that SIS was happy for Coursetrack to work on advancing the initiative before the next media rights agreement came into play in 2024, a deal that is currently being negotiated.

Walsh said SIS' original plans for the technology to generate income through new in-running betting processes had not materialised, meaning that tracks, rather than SIS, were now required to fund the trials.

Total Performance Data, which provides such information for numerous British tracks through a tri-party collaboration with At The Races and Arena Racing Company, told the Racing Post in January 2021 it could be "up and running within days" if invited to provide services for Irish racing.

In March, TPD chairman and co-founder Eamonn Wilmott said: "We would provide a minimum income guarantee in the tens of thousands of euros for every racecourse in Ireland, with no costs. Some of the bigger tracks in Ireland should be looking at making €100,000 a year within a year."

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