New season at Bettyville to commence Patrick’s Day

THE NEW season at Bettyville racecourse on Wexford’s Newtown Road has the traditional start next St. Patrick’s Day (Tuesday) with an impressive seven-race card that carries a total of €132,000 in prize money, with the first off at 2.05 p.m.

This is the ideal opportunity for punters to either build on their Cheltenham winnings or recoup their losses, and who knows, there may be some substantial Cheltenham successes for Wexford connections to celebrate.

There are two main features on the day, the very popular €40,000 Arctic Tack Stud Veterans’ Chase (at 4.25 p.m.) over two and a half miles, which is sure to include some familiar ‘old-timers’ in the line-up, preceded by the €26,000 Micheál O Murchadha Memorial Handicap Hurdle, in memory of a man who had a long association with the course, which is still managed by his son, Michael.

The card is set to open with the €11,000 Wexford Mares’ Maiden Hurdle.

This will be followed at 2.40 p.m. by the €11,500 Eoin O’Gorman Solicitors Maiden Hurdle, and at 3.15 p.m. by the €12,500 Mary Barry Seafood Bar and Restaurant rated Novice Hurdle, all three over two miles.

The €16,500 Tomcoole Farm Ltd. Novice Chase over two miles is off at 5 p.m., and the action closes with the €15,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Auction flat race.

The Bettyville Racecourse Supporters’ Club has a new Chairperson this season in Mary Doyle from Oulart, who is well known in G.A.A. circles in addition to her interest in racing. Treasurer is Brian Murphy and Secretary again is Mary Ballantyne.

Annual membership costs €110 and this includes access to all eleven Wexford meetings and free reciprocal days with eleven other courses, in addition to lots of attractive fringe benefits.

You can have basic membership of the club for €55. Enquiries to 087-3828099.

All funds are ploughed back into maintenance and improvements at the course.