It’s a long way to Tipperary for meeting that kept show on the road
Five days after Taunton and Wetherby hosted what could be the last racing in Britain for the foreseeable future, fans of the turf had a taste of what they have been missing when ITV Racing made Thurles, a racecourse in rural Tipperary, the focus of its Saturday afternoon show.
Under normal circumstances, Ed Chamberlin would have been hosting from a low-key Newbury meeting where the main draw would probably have been Grand National horses working after racing. Horse Racing Ireland took the decision on Wednesday, with the backing of the Irish government, which realises 30,000 livelihoods depend upon the sport there, to keep the show on the road by continuing to race, but under very strict protocols. These include paring down those needed to run a days’ racing to a bare minimum, restricting meetings to one a day, no evening fixtures, no spectators, no owners, no overseas runners, jockeys sitting in their cars between races in which they are not riding, and setting up a committee to review it on a daily basis.
Before the first race, the camera showed jockeys standing so far apart from each other in the paddock it looked like they had all had an argument, although, ironically, in the race they were almost touching.
David Mullins, who was returning to Thurles after being airlifted from the course after sustaining a serious spinal fracture there in October, rode a welcome winner when Zero Ten won the feature race, the Pierce Molony Memorial Novice Chase. The race was not without its drama, with Davy Russell, Robbie Power and Paul Townend all taking heavy falls at the last two fences but it was a welcome change of luck for Mullins and only his second winner since his injury. Speaking afterwards about Irish racing continuing while it has stopped elsewhere across Europe, Mullins said: “I’m very surprised how well it’s working and how things have worked out. I didn’t think anyone would take the protocols that seriously but, my word, everyone is really trying and taking it extremely seriously.”
If the Irish model continues to work successfully, it is quite likely that the British Horseracing Authority will begin to find the natives getting restless and coming under pressure to, at least, get the Flat turf season, which had been due to open next Saturday, starting at the earliest opportunity.
Perhaps pre-empting some disquiet, it published a letter last night from the joint chairs of the All Party Parliamentary Group for racing and bloodstock, Conor McGhin and Laurence Robertson, saying they supported the BHA’s “difficult but correct decision to suspend racing”.
William Haggas found his own novel way round racing’s enforced absence here by saddling a double at Rosehill, Sydney, yesterday when Young Rascal won the Manion Cup, a Group Three handicap, and Addeybb landed the Group One Ranvet Stakes. Both horses were ridden by Tom Marquand.