HRI responds to demand for more fixtures with four extra Dundalk meetings

Horse Racing Ireland has responded to trainers' pleas for extra Dundalk fixtures to cater for pent-up demand by bolstering the new year schedule with four extra cards.

The move comes after the last three meetings at the all-weather facility attracted massive entries of 343, 303 and 342, with a single low-grade handicap at this Friday's fixture attracting 127 entries.

A busy November schedule with 11 Dundalk meetings that came about as a result of a revamped fixture list in the wake of the coronavirus shutdown reverts to just five in December.

There had been four meetings slated for each of January and February, but there will now be 12 fixtures across the two months.

"We have had representations from the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association, the Restricted Trainers Association and the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners, all of whom have expressed serious concern. We are therefore pleased to be able to provide these additional opportunities during January and February to augment the existing programme," HRI's director of racing, Jason Morris, said on Thursday.

HRI's Jason Morris: 'We envisage scheduling four or five races at each of these new meetings to allow for potential divides of multiple races to create eight-race cards at the additional fixtures.'

“We envisage scheduling four or five races at each of these new meetings to allow for potential divides of multiple races to create eight-race cards at the additional fixtures. This approach has worked well in the past.

“We are grateful to Dundalk racecourse for agreeing to contribute towards the funding of these meetings, as is the case with any additional fixtures allocated to racecourses."

Ross O'Sullivan, who had expressed his fears to the Racing Post that owners would be compelled to take their horses to Britain, welcomed the development on Thursday.

"Fair play to HRI for reacting. It’s good news and everyone is delighted," he said. "The horses are there, and the owners are there, but the races weren’t so it’s great that there are extra races now. It is going to be a help just to be able to give your owner a call to let them know there is a better chance of getting a run now."

O'Sullivan also suggested that HRI's race-planners consider tweaking the existing race conditions of the low grade handicaps and maidens to cater for as much of the horse population as possible.

"Usually a horse that has been placed on its previous run gets a preference, or a first-timer does, but it would be worth tweaking the conditions to ensure others would get a run as well. Say you've a horse who finished fourth and ran well, they wouldn't be guaranteed a run next time, so that's something they might look at when the time comes."

The new cards will see Monday afternoon meetings take place on January 11 and February 1, a Wednesday afternoon meeting on February 17, with a Wednesday evening meeting slated for January 20.

“The dates and times for these meetings have been reviewed with SIS to identify the most beneficial slots from a betting turnover perspective and we are grateful to them for supporting the scheduling of these additional meetings," Morris added. "We have also liaised closely with Racing TV to ensure that we are maximising broadcast coverage for these new fixtures.”

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