Not looking good across the water

Galileo said:
Absolutely delighted to see The Curragh redevelopment shelved for the time being. The place needs a face lift but the money being spent on a track that is only really full one day a year is crazy.
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Totally agree. That money should be spent on Bellewstown. We're jammed at least two days a year! :D
 
The Curragh certainly needs a face lift. I was there on St Leger day this year and had a good look around. The Curragh grandstand building looks so delapidated and really needs to be demolished.

I understand the economic issues but the sooner it is changed the better. The racing industry will never attract new racing fans without decent facilities.

Any chance they would scale back this proposed development ? It just looks like it is way too much and not needed.
 
I haven't been to the Curragh since the year Grey Swallow won the Derby, but if it's still the same then I'd agree that all it needs is a new main stand in place of that collapsing thing, pref with bars and a restaurant underneath as you have in most racecourses now.

The rest of it is charming, and the proximity of the Stand Hotel helps the place a lot by giving somewhere to eat and drink and meet and greet, both before and after racing.
 
The road at the back of the grandstand has already been diverted around the back of the hotel, and the hotel itself is due for demolition to allow room for the racecourse enclosures to be expanded.

I'm all for the redevelopment, but I don't like the idea of closing the place completely while it takes place. How would the racing authorities have coped this awful wet summer if The Curragh had been out of commission?
 
I would like to have seen the redevelopment go ahead for many reasons. I think perhaps people have become emotionally attached to the Curragh as it is. It needs upgrading. On the other hand If it can't be done, it can't be done. Did the banks pull the plug ?
 
trackside528 said:
Guilty as charged.

I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. As the clock says: Time reveals all...
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I have some great memories myself, the course wasn't to change though was it ? .... and that's where those memorable events occured.
I like the informal walk-in to the Curragh and spacious feel but I'm a great believer in getting things built at any cost,once it's up it wasn't going to be knocked. Somehow, a way would have been found to get through the financial difficulties afterwards. I'm sure it's a complicated decision though. We'll probably hear more on the grapevine later.
 
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"Only War Of Attrition features at shorter than 50-1 in betting for the King George or Gold Cup and the bareness of the Irish cupboard is encouraging Paul Nicholls to dispatch more of his chasers to mop up what remains of the Celtic Tiger wealth."

Missed this when I initially speedread the article. This isn't a stretch, it's complete and utter nonsense if you ask me.
 
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For if March comes around and Irish racing has sunk deeper into the doldrums, the Festival will be only half the event.
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No it wont, it will be great!

Lets hammer them into the ground like tent pegs !! As I believe Henry V roared at Agincourt.
 
It seems that Alan Lee seems to be linking the economic situation to the lack of any top class Irish chasers- a stretch at best IMO. Does that mean the future is rosy with the novice chasing ranks seemingly bulging with talent? Nonsense.

Anyway, with Sizing Europe back to his best (please God!) we'll at least stick it to the Brits in one of the big races!

Not that I give the slightest shite where he's trained... :cool:
 
Of course, we were not voicing such thoughts during the summer, when every Flat race worth winning seemed to be exported either by Aidan O'Brien or Jim Bolger. But that was in another time and, effectively, a different sport. Only now, with the advance of the jumps code that enchants the Irish in a way the Flat has never done, can the depth of the worry lines be seen clearly.
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Alan Lee is a good journalist but to suggest that the O'Brien and Bolger successes of the flat season just ended are part of a different time and a different sport is a sleight of hand. It's true that the cupboard of senior NH performers in Ireland is looking bare at the moment, especially where chasers are concerned, but this has bugger all to do with the collapse of Lehman Bros.
 
Alan Lee has some valid points, but as a few have mentioned already he is trying to tie far too many things into one basket or reason.
 
Significant changes to funding of Racing Industry announced by Horse Racing Ireland​



Prize Money to be reduced by 7%


Short term suspension of Racecourse Capital Development Programme


Pay Freeze for 10 Months


Operating Costs to be reduced by €1.3 million


Breeders Prize Scheme discontinued​


Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) today announced a series of budgetary measures for 2009. These are in response to the challenging economic environment and the reduction in funding to the industry announced in Budget 2009. The measures include a range of cost saving initiatives, a reduction in prize money, a freezing of grant aid to organisations supported by HRI, a pay freeze for HRI staff and restrictions on racecourse capital development projects.

HRI’s Chief Executive, Brian Kavanagh stated: “Irish racing and breeding has shown consistent growth in recent years. Today Ireland’s breeding industry is the third largest in the world and Irish trained horses have won two thirds of the Group 1 flat races run in Britain and Ireland this year. Central to this growth and success has been the long term security of funding provided by the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund”.

The Irish horse racing and breeding industry employs over 16,500 people directly and indirectly and 1.5 million people go racing in Ireland every year.

Brian Kavanagh continued: “While cutbacks are regrettable, they are unavoidable in the current climate. An improvement in the economic environment and the continuation of secure, long term funding are central to a return to growth in the industry. HRI is already working with Government to achieve this aim and in particular to ensure the resumption of the Racecourse Capital Development Programmeas soon as possible. ”

The key features of the 2009 HRI budget are as follows:-

1.Prize Money
Total prize money will be reduced by €4.2 million to €56.5 million in 2009. On a like for like basis this represents a 7% reduction from 2008, which will be applied across all categories of races. Funding for point to point racing will also be reduced.

2.Racecourse Capital Developments
The Racecourse Capital Development Fund will be curtailed. Any projects on which work has already commenced will be concluded, but no new projects will be approved in the short term. The Racecourse Capital Development Fund is financed by long term borrowings and until the issues surrounding the future of the Horse and Greyhound Racing Fund are addressed, borrowings to cover necessary future developments cannot be put in place.

3.Cost Savings
Cost savings of €1.3 million will be achieved within HRI through reductions in central overhead and administration costs, and reduced activity in marketing.

4. Pay Freeze
A ten month pay freeze will be applied to all staff employed by HRI, Tote Ireland and HRI Racecourses Ltd, with the implementation of the first phase of the National Wage Agreement deferred for seven months.

5. Integrity Costs
The funding of integrity costs incurred by the Turf Club will be reduced by 5.8% in 2009 with most of the savings to be achieved from greater efficiencies rather than a reduced level of activity.

6.Racecourse Support Schemes
A number of racecourse support schemes including the sponsorship incentive scheme, the winter racing grant, the share of tote betting and the big screen support scheme will be restricted or amended.

7. Grants to Industry Bodies
All grants paid by HRI to industry bodies such as RACE, the Irish Equine Centre, the Blue Cross, the Order of Malta, the Irish Farriery School and the Irish Horse Welfare Trust will be frozen at 2008 levels.

8. HRI Charges
In view of the difficulties being faced by clients, all charges levied by HRI including race entry fees, registration charges, bookmakers’ permit fees and the Thoroughbred Foal Levy will be held at 2008 levels.

9. Breeders Prizes Scheme
In view of the anticipated decrease in income from the Thoroughbred Foal Levy next year the Breeders Prize Scheme will be discontinued with effect from 1st January 2009.

10. Sponsorship
HRI recognises the importance of sponsorship to Irish racing in recent years and in order to protect the historically healthy levels of race sponsorship, HRI will work together with racecourses and their sponsors to tailor packages to reflect the current difficult environment.
 
Something I posted on another forum

A few items here:

The pay freeze is a red herring as we all know. They will do very well for themselves next year compared to the private sector as the national agreement is only the deferral of a 6% two year increase for civil servants.

They should not cut marketing. This is always the first thing cut by businesses and if they can't get advertsie themsleves, whether it is for racecourse attendance or syndicates, then we will take a huge step back. Marketing needs a phased reduction but a minimum level to promote the game.

Sponsorship needs to be seriously reviewed as the likes of Punchestown could get decimated as the builders and banks pull out. This links into prizemoney. At this time, they should drastically reduce the bottom level of prizemoney to get rid of all the bad horses. I've advocated this for a long time. Secondly, they should drop the top level. They should try to maintain the levels in the mid bracket as this is where your 100-130 rated NH horses earn their crust.

A bigger problem is that the link between betting turnover and horserace funding has been broken and it is now a "grant" which will be reduced over time.

Just some of my thoughts at a very worrying time for our industry.
 
Good to see Leopardstown get a sponsor so quickly...impressive.


Toshiba to Sponsor Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown ​


Leopardstown Racecourse announced today that TOS Ireland, the Irish Distributor of Toshiba’s MFP’s, Copiers, Fax and Projectors, will sponsor the Irish Champion Hurdle, which will be run on January 25th 2009.

Formerly the AIG Champion Hurdle, now named the Toshiba Irish Champion Hurdle this Grade I contest with a prize fund of €120,000 always attracts the top hurdlers of the day. The 2008 contest saw “Sizing Europe” take the spoils from previous winner “Hardy Eustace” and the other joint favourite “Al Eile”.

Martin O’Sullivan, Managing Director of TOS said: “We have been strong supporters of horse racing in Ireland for many years now and it gives me great pleasure to be associated with this high profile Grade I race in 2009.”

Leopardstown Manager Tom Burke said: “Toshiba is a very welcome sponsor for this prestigious race which always attracts the top hurdlers in training. I would like to pay special tribute to AIG Ireland and particularly Managing Director Seán Hehir for supporting this race for16 years and helping to make it one of the highlights of the National Hunt Season.”

Leopardstown Commercial Manager Ciaran Conroy said: “We welcome Toshiba, as a world-class brand, to this race, which is one of the best promotional vehicles available in Irish sport today.”
 
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