Horse Racing to continue in Ireland under strict protocols

A meeting of the Board of Horse Racing Ireland agreed this afternoon that racemeetings in Ireland would continue to be held in strict adherence to Government guidelines regarding Covid-19 and staged without members of the general public. 

This decision is motivated by the need to maintain employment and incomes for people working in the industry, and on the basis of being able to achieve and maintain all HSE advice and instructions.

Since last Friday, five racemeetings in Ireland have been held behind closed doors with access to the racecourse limited to a number of key personnel such as stablestaff, jockeys and trainers, and strict protocols around social distancing and sanitisation.

The Board reviewed the five meetings that have taken place since Friday, and recommended some extra measures:

Nicky Hartery, Chairman of Horse Racing Ireland, said:
 
“These are unprecedented and sombre times and we are seeking the best ways to support the racing community and industry throughout what lies ahead.  Health and welfare of employees and industry participants is the prime consideration and within that context, we have introduced protocols which can allow racing to continue and thousands of families who rely on the sector to maintain a livelihood. This will be kept under review on a daily basis and we are also planning measures for reprogramming fixtures  as it becomes required.   Changes to the programme will be separately announced.

“We have consulted with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine throughout this process and we will continue to strictly adhere to the Government and HSE advice.  We have made it clear at all times that our medical facilities and personnel will be available for the Government to use if necessary – that will take precedence above any other consideration.”

Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Horse Racing Ireland added:

“This is clearly a rapidly changing situation and Horse Racing Ireland will continue to liaise with the relevant Government Departments and with our health advisors.

“The executive sub-committee of Horse Racing Ireland and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board is meeting daily to assess the situation, and the Board of Horse Racing Ireland will continue to convene as required.
 
“Racecourses by their nature offer opportunities for social distancing that few other workplaces can. Nothing in Irish life is as it was a week ago, and in the same way, these are not race fixtures as we previously knew them, they are big open-air sites with very few people present and nobody on site if they are not involved: once a jockey or trainer has finished their business for the afternoon, they are required to leave.  Furthermore, we have carried out risk assessments according to each individual racecourse facility, and some fixtures may be subject to greater restrictions and limitations to ensure social distancing is easily achievable and maintained.

“The Board paid tribute to the flexibility shown by stable staff, jockeys, trainers, owners and employees of the IHRB, HRI, the media and broadcasters. Strict measures were imposed on them almost immediately last Friday but their actions, care and vigilance have ensured that social distancing is being observed and racecourses continue to be a safe working environment.”

 

Following on from this afternoon’s announcement that horse racing is to continue in Ireland with greater restrictions, Horse Racing Ireland wishes to advise of the rescheduling of the following meetings up to March 29.

The full list of fixtures up to and including Sunday March 29 is as follows –
 

The meeting scheduled for Dundalk on Friday March 20 will now become an afternoon meeting. Declarations for this meeting must be made by 10am tomorrow, Thursday March 19.

The fixture at Thurles on Saturday March 21 is unaffected as is the meeting at Downpatrick on Sunday March 22.

The meeting at Naas, which had been scheduled for Sunday March 22, has been moved to next Monday, March 23. Declarations for this meeting must be made by 10am on Sunday March 22.

The fixtures at Clonmel on Tuesday March 24 and at Cork on Thursday March 26 are unaffected.

The meeting scheduled for Dundalk on Friday March 27 has been brought forward and will now be held on Wednesday March 25 and becomes an afternoon fixture. Entries for this meeting close tomorrow, Thursday March 19 at 12 noon.

The meeting scheduled for Navan on Saturday March 28 has also been brought forward and will now be held on Friday March 27.

The meeting scheduled for the Curragh on Sunday March 29 is another fixture with a new date. It will now be held on Saturday March 28.

The fixture at Limerick on Sunday March 29 is unaffected.

Trainers are advised that entry and declaration dates for the rescheduled meeting are likely to have changed. Full details will be available on RAS in due course.