Kavanagh defends radio silence and insists resumption is a matter for government

Brian Kavanagh has defended Horse Racing Ireland's six-day radio silence and, while the authority's chief executive empathised with frustrated industry stakeholders, he insisted that the resumption of racing is a matter the government will have the ultimate say on.

The department of agriculture finally confirmed on Thursday evening that the resumption of racing of behind closed doors is slated in the government's roadmap, which was published last Friday, for June 29 at the earliest.

Shortly after Thursday's announcement, HRI broke its near week-long communications silence, and Kavanagh argued that it would have been wrong to announce anything before the proper guidance had filtered through from the government.

"The main issue was to resolve the overall situation. We were seeking clarification and, when you have nothing to say, it's best to say nothing," Kavanagh said.

"I can empathise with everyone in the industry and the many other industries that are struggling in this pandemic. I can totally understand the situation people are in."

Brian Kavanagh: 'We were seeking clarification and, when you have nothing to say, it's best to say nothing'Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Kavanagh also stressed that, while HRI is lobbying hard to bring forward the date for racing's resumption, the decision is out of his hands.

Sources have suggested HRI has not yet given up on a recommencement of racing as early as phase one, which kicks in on May 18, but that a middle-ground resolution in phase two on June 8 would at this stage be a satisfactory outcome.

"Ultimately, as we have said all along, this is a matter for the government and for the medical professionals," Kavanagh said. "We have put our case forward and it would be wrong to speculate on any date for resumption.

Here is why a June 29 return for Irish racing has got absolutely everyone's goat

"We said in the press release that was issued on Thursday evening that we believe racing can resume earlier than June 29 but that is a decision which is out of our control. We have made the case and we will engage now as the Taoiseach outlined in his Dail speech on Thursday."

HRI previously stated in its Covid-19 contingency plan that Flat racing would take precedence when racing is given the green light to resume. Those plans are understood to have been made on the assumption that racing would resume some time in May.

Gordon Elliott: called on HRI to start racing as a whole rather than staging four weeks of Flat action when the restrictions are liftedCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

However, Gordon Elliott and Robbie Power, masters of their respective crafts in the jumps sphere, called on HRI to restart the sport as a whole given the revised resumption date.

Kavanagh suggested that Flat racing remains the priority but that both codes will be looked after in due course.

"There is a backlog of Flat racing we need to catch up on," he explained. "We will get resumed and then we will look at the details of the resumption. We said we would resume with four weeks of Flat racing and we will see how that goes. It all depends on when the resumption takes place."

Asked if a June 29 resumption would effectively lead to jumps racing returning at the end of July at the earliest, Kavanagh said: "It is too far away to speculate on that. I wouldn't speculate on any resumption date at this stage."

He added: "We will make certain that horses are satisfied in both codes as needed and, as I said, March until May is the start of the Flat season and the priority is to get that started.

"But we will look across the whole range of ages, categories, quality of horse, both jumps and Flat, but it will depend on the resumption dates."

Read more:

HRI breaks silence by announcing proposal to resume racing earlier than June 29

Information vacuum from HRI was simply not good enough when leadership is needed

Elliott: trainers and jockeys face ruin if jump racing's return is delayed

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