HRI awards ceremony cancelled due to Covid-19 situation in Ireland

The Horse Racing Ireland awards ceremony, which was due to be held at the Clayton Hotel Burlington Road on December 7, has been cancelled due to the current Covid-19 situation in Ireland.

As was the case in 2020, a virtual awards ceremony will be held instead. It will be shown on Racing TV at a later date in December.

A total of 40 nominations have been made for the awards across seven categories – Horse of the Year, National Hunt, National Hunt Achievement, Flat, Flat Achievement, Point-to-Point and Emerging Talent.

There are seven nominations for the Horse of the Year award – Honeysuckle, Minella Indo, Chacun Pour Soi, Flooring Porter, St Mark’s Basilica, Poetic Flare and Snowfall.

Disability access at British racecourses to be assessed

Disability access at British racecourses is set to be thoroughly assessed to allow improvements to be made to the raceday experience for disabled racegoers.

The project has been commissioned by the Racecourse Association (RCA) with the Racing Foundation granting £200,000 towards the scheme alongside contributions from the racecourses who are taking part in the disability audit.

Subject to relevant Covid-19 restrictions, assessments will commence shortly and will run over three years.

Paul Swain, raceday experience and communications manager at the RCA, said: "The RCA has been working to deliver this for some time and it represents a significant project as part of our commitment to diversity and inclusion.

"We will work closely with Level Playing Field and LiveTourism over the duration of this long-term project to enhance racecourse accessibility and ensure that racing remains a fantastic day out for all customers."

Roderick Duncan to become part-time clerk of the course at Huntingdon

Roderick Duncan, a former clerk of the course at the Arena Racing Company-owned Doncaster and Southwell, will take on the role at Huntingdon on a part-time basis next month.

Duncan will take over from Jack Pryor, who will continue as clerk of the course at Market Rasen and become event director at the Blenheim International Horse Trials, organised by the Jockey Club.

He said: "I'm hugely excited to be taking on this role and being born and bred in East Anglia as well as now living near Newmarket, this feels very much like coming home.

Roderick Duncan: 'I’m hugely excited to be taking on this role'Credit: David Carr

"Huntingdon was one of the first racecourses I visited and I can't wait to begin working with the team with some top-quality jump racing coming up over the winter months."

Duncan is being replaced at Doncaster by Paul Barker, who will step into the role in January while retaining his position of regional clerk of the course for the north at Arc.

Managing director of Arc's racing division, Mark Spincer, said: "We are delighted to appoint Paul to the role of clerk of the course at Doncaster.

"We would all like to thank Roderick Duncan, who has done an excellent job for many years, and wish him all the best with future endeavours."

Charity Christmas card available for purchase

The Jessica Bethell Charitable Foundation, the fundraising organisation created after meningitis claimed the life of the popular Middleham racing figure in 2012, is selling Christmas cards.

The cards, available in packs of ten, can be purchased directly for £10 plus postage and packing by emailing or calling 01969 640360. Alternatively, they can be collected directly from Thorngill Stables in Middleham.

Dublin Racing Festival's two showpiece events to switch days this season

This season's Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup will be run on the Saturday of the Dublin Racing Festival with the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle taking its place on the Sunday.

The change to the weekend features, which take place on February 5 and 6, were announced by Horse Racing Ireland on Tuesday.

Leopardstown: will host the Dublin Racing Festival on February 5 and 6Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

With the revised running order, the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup will now be the second race to be run on the chase track over the weekend rather than the fifth, ensuring that the best racing conditions are provided.

In addition, as the hurdle track is run on two different tracks for Saturday and Sunday, it will ensure fresh ground each day, with the Chanelle Pharma Irish Champion Hurdle the second hurdle race to be run on the Sunday.

Speaking on the changes, Leopardstown boss, Tim Husbands, said: "As always, Leopardstown will seek to deliver the very best track conditions for the weekend and hence the switch of the two feature races. We look forward to welcoming large crowds back to witness two unmissable days of top-quality National Hunt racing on February 5 and 6."

The Front Runner is our latest email newsletter available exclusively to Members' Club Ultimate subscribers. Chris Cook, a three-time Racing Reporter of the Year award winner, provides his take on the day's biggest stories and tips for the upcoming racing every morning from Monday to Friday