Galway confident of solution to ring-road saga threatening course's future

Galway racecourse manager Michael Moloney is confident a solution can be found to the ring-road saga, which has prompted the track's race committee to seek a judicial review of the €600 million route around the city.

The development of the new road includes a 240-metre tunnel under the racecourse at Ballybrit, which would result in the track losing its stable yard.

Moloney said the track is in favour of the new ring road but stressed the racecourse needs an alternative site for the stable yard in order to continue racing at the venue.

The big summer festival at Ballybrit, which will be held from July 25 to July 31 this summer, is worth about €60m to the economy every year.

Moloney said: "I'm pretty confident we can find a solution to all this, but we do need to find a suitable alternative site for our stable yard. The construction of the road would demolish the current yard. We have worked with Galway County Council over the last seven years to develop a replacement yard so we can continue our business.

"That stable yard was submitted as part of the application to An Bord Pleanala [Ireland's national independent planning body] but, when its decision came out in November, there was a condition included in it that the replacement stableyard for Galway race committee would be omitted. Unfortunately, that leaves us in a bit of a predicament."

Moloney added: "Because of the alignment of the road, and the layout of the racecourse, the option provided in the application was really the only viable option remaining. Galway County Council had given the same evidence that it was the only remaining option for a stableyard.

"We are still supportive of the road but this is an issue that would lead to the racecourse becoming non-operational if it were to proceed."

Read more:

Dan Skelton: 'Does watching those Irish horses change anything? Not really'

Newmarket racing community pledges to fight proposals for new solar farm

'He was dynamite' – Barry Geraghty and Philip Hobbs hail retiring Defi Du Seuil

Ultimate Daily – our daily newsletters from Racing Post's experts, exclusive to the inbox of Ultimate Members' Club subscribers. To receive the newsletter subscribe here