Dundalk on track for July meeting
AS work continues apace on replacing the track at Dundalk Stadium, its 12 July meeting has been included on a revised fixture list released by Horse Racing Ireland.
Racing in this country is due to re-commence behind closed doors on Monday 8 June at Naas. The last action was at Clonmel on 24 March.
At a cost of approximately €2.5 million, Dundalk is putting down a new Polytrack surface which involves some 12,000 tonnes of special material on the 10-furlong circuit.
Martin Collins, who supplied the original Polytrack and did replenishment work last year, is the contractor.
‘Work is progressing on schedule, and we have given the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) a date of 15 June, or later, for inspection,’ said Dundalk chief executive Jim Martin.
The IHRB has to licence the new track, and part of this process will be to trial horses on the surface.
Picture Ken Finegan/NEWSPICS
Nonetheless, the traditional ‘Twelfth’ card has been pencilled in, though Mr Martin admits it won’t be a 12 July meeting as we know it.
Normally a big crowd-puller, in particular because of an influx of holidaymakers from Northern Ireland, the races will be going ahead without spectators.
‘It’s a challenge for all racecourses to operate without media rights revenue and paying customers,’ remarked the CEO.
‘It’s the first stage of opening up, and an important start as the health authorities loosen their grip, but when there will be crowds is unclear,’ Mr Martin continued.
Media rights income is not available to tracks while the near 9,000 betting shops in Britain and Ireland remain closed.
The 814 shops in Ireland are due to re-open 29 June, while 4 July is the earliest that can happen in Britain when restrictions on retail outlets are predicted to be relaxed.
Dundalk staged the first Irish meeting behind closed doors on Friday, 13 March, and raced again under similar conditions one week later.
A total of 10 meetings nationwide took place without spectators during the same period before a lockdown came into force.
As a consequence of those restrictions, Dundalk lost a meeting on 25 March as well as four other fixtures in April which would have completed the 2019-20 campaign.
HRI has announced a cancellation fee of €25,000 for every lost fixture that is not rescheduled.
HRI has also published a revised 2020 Pattern Race/Premier Handicap programme, and not only has the Dowdallshill venue retained all of its big events, two additional Listed contests will be staged here later in the year.
The Legacy Stakes (5f) has been transferred from Navan, and the Belgrave Stakes (6f) from the Curragh.
Dundalk’s pattern races and premier handicap, 15 August: Red God Premier Handicap; 25 September: Diamond Stakes (Group 3); 2 October: Star Appeal Stakes (Listed), Legacy Stakes (L); 16 October:
Mercury Stakes (G3); 6 November: Belgrave Stakes (L); 13 November: Cooley Stakes (L).
Meanwhile, there was no little disappointment that greyhound racing did not get the green light to return on 8 June as well.
Both the horse and greyhound industries come under the remit of the Department of Agriculture; and had been scheduled to start in Phase 3 of the Road to Recovery, 29 June.
However, while the resumption of horse racing was brought forward to Phase 2, the dogs were left behind.
If greyhound action is to resume on 29 June, official public trials will have to be held in advance.
In keeping with protocols, they will be pre-booked and staged in a ‘behind closed doors’ fashion.
Before the lockdown, the dual-purpose stadium hosted four dog cards behind closed doors, the last of which was on Saturday, 21 March.
It appears almost certain there will be no Dundalk International 550, or any greyhound racing, on 12 July, normally a date for a dual raceday.