Hard to find fault with HRI's response to Dundalk problem

Horse Racing Ireland deserves credit for being alive to the needs of smaller owners and trainers by scheduling an extra meeting at Dundalk next Wednesday, but there is a line to be drawn in coping with demand for more races at the lower end of the handicap.

Such accommodations should be made as and when situations such as the current problem with balloting arise but it would set a dangerous precedent if the programme were tweaked to accommodate these lowly rated horses.

We are in a privileged situation that every race in Ireland carries a minimum value of €10,000, making low-grade handicaps quite an attractive proposition for smaller owners hoping to get involved in the sport without parting with too much cash.