Well done: Wexford going to extreme measures to beat hot weather

The heatwave gripping Ireland and Britain is pushing racecourses to extreme measures with Wexford even digging a well to ensure it has enough water for Friday's meeting.

A pump is being shipped in from Germany to help carry out the job of creating a second well at the course in the south-eastern corner of Ireland.

Racecourse chairman Michael Murphy told the Racing Post on Monday: "This very minute I'm sinking another well and by lunch tomorrow I'll have another 5,000 gallons on stream to back up what I already have, which is coping but only barely."

Speaking of the development at the south-eastern venue, Murphy explained: "I bit the bullet to go with it last Friday and the pump is on its way from Germany. The gantry is drilling away now."

He added: "It's a belt and braces job. The well we have is delivering just less than 5,000 gallons which would be adequate but if anything went wrong we'd be in trouble."

Wexford are far from alone in taking precautions during the warm spell, with the ground for Bellewstown's four-day meeting beginning on Wednesday described as good to firm on the Flat course and the same with firm in places on the jumps track.

A four-day meeting at Bellewstown begins on WednesdayCredit: Patrick McCann

General manager Kevin Coleman said: "We're flat out and working overtime to get it right. We are watering and have our own well, which is important to stress from a political point of view, and we're happy as long as it doesn't run dry!"

Irish Water on Monday introduced a month-long hosepipe ban in the Greater Dublin region, which is set to last until at least July 31, with the ban likely to soon be extended nationwide.

Coleman said of the track, which has not held a meeting since late last August: "We've been watering since last weekend and it looks in great order. We will definitely give extra attention to the jumps side of it."

Conditions are set to be very different to say the least at Fairyhouse this weekend compared to April's Irish Grand National meetingCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Fairyhouse 'firm' no concern for Roe

Fairyhouse, which had bottomless conditions for the Boylesports Irish Grand National in April, was described as "firm, absolutely firm" by the track's manager Peter Roe, who expressed no worries for Sunday's Group 3 Brownstown Stakes card.

He said: "The ground that we haven't watered at all this year is looking very burned up but the watered ground we have raced on is taking it well – we are in drought conditions though but we're doing our best."

"Firm ground right now is not something that worries me at all" added Roe. "I don't care if it's firm on Saturday evening – I just need it to be nice racing ground at 1pm on Sunday."

Andrew Hogan: 'We'll be bringing in extra tankers of drinking water in case there happened to be any shortage - that'd be our only concern'Credit: Caitriona Kenny

Tipperary National Hunt course "yielding – for now"

Andrew Hogan, Manager of Cork and Tipperary, said on Monday that he is content with the ground at both venues, with a mixed card taking place at Tipperary on Thursday that includes a 5f Listed event and 2m Grade 3 hurdle.

He said: "We water every year in Tipperary but we were surprised with at how it didn't take as much to correct the ground as we'd anticipated.

"This morning our jumps ground is yielding – for now – but we've called it good because it will dry back and we'll keep it ticking over until the morning of racing when it'll dry back. We'll be bringing in extra tankers of drinking water in case there happened to be any shortage – that'd be our only concern."

He added of the Mallow venue: "Watering is taking place at Cork as well for the meeting on Friday week. We're applying small amounts regularly. The hosepipe ban won't have an impact on us as we have sufficient supplies for both venues.

Naas applying "10 millimetres a day" for almost four weeks

Naas' Briggs watering system is applying roughly 10 millimetres a dayCredit: Conor Healy Photography

Naas plays host to a Flat card on Saturday afternoon and manager Tom Ryan hailed the track's watering system as one of the country's finest.

"We're in a reasonably favourable position" he said. "Our water supply is from the rainfall that lands on the track in the winter. We invested heavily in the Briggs system two years ago and as a result Naas Racecourse probably possesses the most capable watering system in the country."

He added: "The ground this morning was mostly firm but we applied 12 millimetres on it. For the past four weeks, with the exception of weekends and racedays, we're applying ten millimetres to keep it right."

Patrick O'Callaghan, general manager of Limerick, explained before its jumps card this Sunday: "The grass is starting to burn up a little bit and the ground is firm but we're watering and I see no reason why we won't get it back to nice safe ground."

He said of the systems at the Patrickswell track: "We're well equipped but these are extraordinary conditions and it's proving difficult. Hopefully the fine weather should benefit us though in helping attract bigger crowds."

Roscommon manager Michael Finneran said of his track before the Connacht venue's two-day mixed meeting beginning next Monday: "It's good to firm at the minute and we're keeping it under control. We knew last week that the chase course would have been a problem so we cancelled the races over fences on next Tuesday's card then."

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