Horse and greyhound racing suffering big hits due to big freeze

THE Irish horse and greyhound racing industries look set to suffer heavy financial blows due to postponements brought on by the wintry weather.

Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) spokesperson Tamarisk Doyle admitted that decisions to call off a meeting could cost up to €70,000 while the greyhound racing schedule has been decimated by the cold snap with one expert predicting losses in the region of €100,000

Doyle explained: “It is a huge blow to racecourse to lose meetings if they don’t get them rescheduled. It can cost racecourses between €40,000 and €70,000 if a meeting is lost. It is a huge blow at the best of times but this is coming on the back of huge cuts announced in the budgets over the past 12 months. We have lost three meetings in Ireland this year – Fairyhouse, Naas and Thurles while there are concerns about Punchestown and Leopardstown at the weekend.

Leopardstown’s meeting on Sunday, featuring the MCR Hurdle, hangs in the balance according to general manager Tom Burke. “We had a light dusting of snow again last night and quite a severe frost. At the moment the course is not raceable.”

Punchestown’s meeting on Saturday remains in doubt because of snow while today’s action at Southwell and Hexham along with Ludlow and Huntingdon tomorrow have all fallen victim to the weather.

Irish greyhound tracks again remained closed last night with Harold’s Cross forced to call off their fixture and there will be no racing tonight with Shelbourne Park and Kilkenny both forced to cancel.

Irish Examiner greyhound columnist Michael Fortune said: “It is a worry for the industry in general and, as with horse racing, is providing trainers with huge problems as they attempt to keep their charges ready for the resumption of racing.

“A further problem is that dogs are going out of time and will not be able to race on the resumption without a trial as they will have gone out of the 42 day rule limit.

“Of course the closure is no help to the hard pressed coffers of the industry either. Following the savage cuts imposed by the budget in Government funding, the valuable Friday and Saturday night meetings are not taking place and the percentage of Tote and restaurant takings is not coming in. The weather forecast does not offer much encouragement. You could be looking at losses of up to €100,000.”

Both of this week’s Carling Cup semi-final first legs have been postponed due to heavy snow and their rearrangements for later this month have had a knock-on effect on Barclays Premier League fixtures.

Access to venues is as much, and in the case of top-level football more, of a problem as the condition of the playing surface. Both of the Carling Cup ties – last night’s clash between Blackburn and Aston Villa and tonight’s eagerly-anticipated Manchester City v Manchester United derby – were called off because of problems in the surrounding areas and major roads.

City and United will now try again on January 19, the date originally scheduled for the second leg, with the return on January 27. United and City have had league clashes against Hull and Stoke respectively postponed as a result.

A new date for the other semi-final will be announced this morning.