Room for improvement: Curragh chief Pat Keogh vows to re-engage with racegoers

New Curragh chief executive Pat Keogh has vowed to reconnect with "disenfranchised" racegoers and admitted that adjustments at the track for his first meeting in charge at the Group 1 Keeneland Phoenix Stakes were one step on a long road.

Dreadful weather and a clash with the Aga Khan Trophy at the Dublin Horse Show meant Siskin's impressive top-level success on Friday night was witnessed by fewer than 3,000 racegoers, which Keogh described as "not acceptable for a Group 1 day".

The outgoing Leopardstown chief executive also suggested that, subject to ratification, the fixture – traditionally held on a Sunday – would move to a Saturday afternoon next year to avoid the popular showjumping event.

Siskin's Phoenix Stakes win was witnessed by fewer than 3,000 racegoersCredit: Patrick McCann

For Keogh's first meeting in charge at the track, which has undergone an €81 million redevelopment, changes were made involving opening access for racegoers in the stand, the relocation of owners' and trainers' facilities as well as a new food outlet beside the champagne terrace.

Ticket prices were also reduced to €20 and Keogh was a visible presence on the ground throughout proceedings.

"I was pleased and it did what we wanted," he told the Racing Post. "There are a lot of people who feel disenfranchised by the new Curragh and it's much too good for that – it's a fine facility and we've got to change things."

He added: "Before you do too much, you've got to listen to people and hear what they want. There are some things we can change quickly and others things will take more time.

Changes are afoot at the CurraghCredit: Patrick McCann

"At the end of the day, they are the paying customer and we've got to find out what they want, before seeing how to satisfy it.

"The attendance for the card was well below what it should be for a Group 1 fixture. We know that it's not acceptable for a Group 1 day, although it was a shocking night weather-wise and we clashed with the Aga Khan Trophy."

The initial response to Friday's tweaks has been positive, but Keogh acknowledges that there is no single quick fix.

He said: "We know what we have to do, but unless we do it all that talk will be cheap. It's good to hear people say positive things, but we've achieved very little yet. This is one step on a long road. Our staple objective is to make the Curragh the racecourse of the community, especially locally."

Keogh: 'Our staple objective is to make the Curragh the racecourse of the community, especially locally'Credit: Patrick McCann

While the Phoenix card's Tote aggregate crashed from €375,931 to €173,519, the bookmakers' on-course turnover rose €11,815 to €102,314 year on year, but the positioning of the betting ring to the side of the main grandstand remains a point of contention with the layers.

"I don't want to be perceived as spreading negativity, but Friday was pretty dire, albeit the weather didn't help," said Brian Keenan, who shares a pitch with his father and namesake.

"It was a bit embarrassing considering it was a Group 1 card. The position of the ring isn't helpful and three strong layers' pitches in the stand on Derby day took in a healthy chunk of business, bearing in mind the 25 or 30 other pitches down below."

Bookmakers were also frustrated about restricted access to the site on Friday, and Keogh has pledged to resolve those logistical issues.

Keenan added: "It feels like there's a resentment growing among bookmakers at the minute but, in fairness to Pat Keogh and his team at Leopardstown, you couldn't ask for better treatment so hopefully it can improve at the Curragh."

Pat Keogh: Curragh's membership structure is set to be reviewed at the end of the yearCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The course's controversial new membership structure, which has elite packages priced at €2,500, is set to be reviewed at the end of the year, with the seats in the upper portion of the grandstand, which are reserved for members and box holders, largely empty for some fixtures this season.

"There was a legitimate criticism there that there are empty seats that people haven't been allowed into," said Keogh, whose predecessor Derek McGrath is on gardening leave until the end of the season.

"We didn't get it right and we have a bit more to do. There is a complication in that there are a number of membership options, which is presenting some issues.

"There was confusion over the rights of each of the different forms of memberships and that is absolutely to the forefront of my mind to address that, but we're three-quarters of the way through the year now and big changes to membership will come in 2020.

"People have paid for exclusive access at the Curragh this year, and the comfort that comes with that, and we have to respect that for this year."

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