'It's a treasure in racing' - Sir Anthony McCoy, Ruby Walsh and leading politicians express dismay at Thurles closure

Former champion jump jockeys Sir Anthony McCoy and Ruby Walsh have lamented the potential loss of Thurles from Irish racing after the shock announcement on Friday that the track will close with immediate effect .

Citing "ever increasing industry demands and the cost of doing business" as a major factor in their decision, Riona Molony, whose family have owned the Tipperary track since the early 1900s, announced the family's decision to retire from racing at the venue.

McCoy naturally has fond memories of Thurles, given he rode the first of his 4,358 career winners at the track on March 26, 1992 when he guided the Jim Bolger-trained Legal Steps home in a 1m4f maiden.

He said in his William Hill blog: “Thurles will always be a special place for me. It’s where I rode my first winner back in 1992 aboard Legal Steps – a second-string of Jim Bolger’s – riding against the likes of Christy Roche and Mick Kinane. I always used to think it was the only 'all-weather' track in Ireland because they’d race there no matter what the weather was like.

“It’s very sad to see any racecourse closing. You’ve had plenty of good horses winning there over the years and the likes of Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott were never afraid to send their best horses there. You had Don Cossack, Allaho, and Sizing John win there over the years, and that’s a testament to the place.

“Rachael Blackmore rode her first winner there too, and it was one of my favourite tracks in Ireland. It’s a loss to Irish racing.”

Don Cossack: one of Thurles's most famous winnersCredit: Caroline Norris (racingpost.com/photos)

Walsh referenced the track's ability to maintain raceable ground throughout the winter in emphasising its importance to jumps racing in Ireland. He rode 129 winners at the track and hopes it can resume being operational.

"It's very disappointing news for jumps racing but, to be fair to the Molonys, they have to do what they think is right for them," he said on Racing TV. "They've done a great job running Thurles since Pierce passed away in 2015 and if they feel the time is right for them to move on then fair play to them. It's a huge decision for them to make and they've to do what's right for them. 

"That said, it does look like the door has been left open for somebody else to run Thurles as a racecourse and I hope someone does take up the mantle and take it on because it's a wonderful racecourse. It can race in the depths of the winter when most other places can't. 

"Lots of good horses have run there and there are very few places you can go in December, January and February when you know it'll be on and never waterlogged and that is Thurles."

The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Martin Heydon also expressed his disappointment, calling the track a "significant part of jumps racing in Ireland". He noted that meetings with the Molony family and Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) to discuss plans are to take place in the next week.

“Like many in racing circles, I was surprised and saddened to hear of the closure of Thurles," Heydon said. "I want to compliment and commend the Molony family for the many decades of service they've provided to the racing industry. 

"Thurles was a great venue and a significant part of jumps racing in Ireland. It's a testament to the hard work put in by Riona Molony and all the family through the generations.

"As we all know, the racing industry makes a huge contribution to local communities and the rural economy across the length and breadth of Ireland and that is no different with Thurles. Regarding any possible future developments for the racecourse, Horse Racing Ireland will meet with the family in the next week to discuss this further."

Michael Lowry, prominent politician and TD for Tipperary North since 1987, urged Heydon and the HRI to intervene and find a solution to preserve the racecourse through a lease agreement or purchase.

He said: “This is a sad, yet understandable decision. The Molony family gave this very careful consideration and arrived at this decision after much agonising. I wish to thank the Molony family for providing and maintaining a wonderful facility through generations. I'm fully aware of how difficult it has been to keep standards high and remain financially viable. Riona and the girls have been outstanding custodians of the track since Pierce passed away.

"Regulatory rules, expectations, demands and compliance issues placed a huge burden of pressure, stress, and strain on the owners. In recent years, Riona and the girls invested heavily to improve the facilities. Thurles racecourse is renowned for the excellence of the track."

He added: "It's a proper National Hunt track. It's a treasure in the sport of horseracing. It is essential to the racing industry that the HRI step in and ensure its future as a racecourse."

Read more on Thurles's closure:

'It’s a huge shock and a big blow' - Thurles racecourse to close with immediate effect 

An enduring, comforting, constant, no-frills staple - Thurles closure is a catastrophe for Irish jump racing 

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