Sligo given go-ahead after trial but only for jumping

Racing will resume at Sligo a week on Sunday after the course was passed fit for racing on Wednesday.

No racing has taken place at Sligo this year due to problems with the track following remedial drainage work.

But the licensing committee of the Turf Club gave the go-ahead for racing to resume following a trials morning when local trainer Mark McNiff galloped horses on the track with Paddy Kennedy and Mark Bolger among the riders involved.

However, only jumps racing will take place at Sligo's five allocated fixtures between now and its final meeting of the year in September.

Clerk of the course Lorcan Wyer said: "The trials morning went well. However, due to the limited availability of ground at certain sections of the track it was recommended that changes be made to the race programme and that the meetings scheduled for July 16, August 9, 10 and 22 and September 27 will be run under National Hunt rules."

The seven Flat races originally scheduled for August 9 will now be staged at Roscommon on August 8, while the chases scheduled for Roscommon will be run as part of an-all chase meeting at Sligo the day after.

The meetings at Sligo on August 10 and August 22 will be seven-race cards consisting of hurdle races and bumpers.