Multi-million-euro rescue fund for tracks as HRI chief outlines stark future

Horse Racing Ireland is preparing for a multi-million-euro rescue package in a bid to secure the future of the country's 26 race tracks with a support scheme that includes a €25,000 compensation fee for every fixture lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Having ceased racing in Ireland on March 24, a total of 87 fixtures will have been lost by the time it is scheduled to resume on June 8 and the bleak predicament for tracks has been one of the most pressing concerns for the authority and the industry at large.

HRI is liaising with tracks to establish which fixtures will be replaced, with the expectation that at least 60 will be rescheduled.