HRI

The first Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) Equine Welfare Department symposium, titled 'Changing Stride - the way ahead for horse racing safety and care' will be held at the Keadeen Hotel and the Curragh on Friday, May 24. The symposium focuses on cultivating a culture of zero compromise in equine care and safety standards and is the key goal of the new HRI strategic plan 2024-2028. Tickets are €50 and include meals, refreshments on the day and entry to the Curragh for an eight-race card to kick-start Tattersalls Irish Guineas weekend....

A five-year strategic plan for the horse racing and breeding industry entitled 'Nurturing Success and Inspiring Participation', was unveiled by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI). The Strategic Plan 2024-2028 was launched ahead of this week's Punchestown festival by HRI Chairman Nicky Hartery and Chief Executive Officer, Suzanne Eade. Spanning the years through to the end of 2028, the strategy's mission is to protect, strengthen and sustain Ireland's global leading horse racing and breeding industry. The plan also focuses heavily on HRI's social responsibility to industry employees, the horses and the environment. ...

Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) have reported increased attendances at Irish horse racing fixtures in the past year, in part due to growing engagement with younger fans. According to research conducted by the Red C Horse Racing Ireland Tracker, involving over 1,000 interviews between February 8-14, 45% of people aged 18 to 34 attended a race day in 2023, up from 40% the previous year. Other notable results were as follows: 46% of 18-34s are interested in attending future horse racing fixtures - an increase of 13% 38% of 18-34s plan...

A new indoor equine therapeutic centre named in memory of Jack de Bromhead will be built this year, ChildVision announced on Tuesday. Based in Drumcondra, ChildVision is a specialist therapy and education centre for children with visual impairment. The new indoor facility will give them access to the best global equine activities all year round, crucially through the winter months and in bad weather conditions. Spearheaded by de Bromhead family friend and well-known racehorse owner Chris Jones--and with the blessing of Jack's parents Heather and Henry--the €1 million donation target...

Due to the continuing inclement weather which has led to a series of recent fixture cancellations, Horse Racing Ireland has announced a number of rescheduled meetings, starting with the G3 Curragh's Alleged S. meeting being moved to Saturday, April 20. This meeting replaces the April 6 meeting at the Curragh which was lost to the weather. Entries for this meeting will close by noon next Tuesday, April 16 with declarations to run to be made by 10am on Thursday, April 18.    As the Curragh is also scheduled for Sunday, April...

GAIN The Advantage Series will be supported by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and GAIN Equine Nutrition for the fourth consecutive year, it was announced on Monday. In 2023, the trainer league was clinched during the final leg by Tipperary-based Andrew Slattery, who secured the overall prize of €5,000 worth of GAIN equine products. Building on three successful years, the 2024 series includes nine races which will be run for points over a variety of conditions to cater to different trainers and horses throughout the Flat season. All races in the...

Brian Kavanagh has said that he agrees completely with Johnny Murtagh's assertion that Ireland should not be "resting on its laurels" when it comes to prize-money while Irish Racehorse Trainers Association [IRTA] chief Ryan McElligott expressed a wish that the Curragh boss's decision to up the minimum prize fund at the track to €20,000 could stir up similar change among other racecourses.  Leopardstown, Ireland's only other Group 1 Flat track, has followed the Curragh's lead in raising its basement prize-money levels to €15,000. However, leading trainers Joseph O'Brien and Ado...

A new Spring Series of median sires races has been added to the Irish Flat racing calendar for 2024 and beyond in what is a significant boost to the three-year-old programme for middle-distance horses. In an announcement made by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), the Irish European Breeders' Fund (Irish EBF) and Gowran Park Racecourse on Monday, the Spring Series will conclude with the €200,000 Irish Stallion Farms EBF Gowran Classic--the richest race ever held at Gowran Park--on Bank Holiday Monday, June 3. Three-year-olds with a median price of no more...

Richard Pugh and Freya Hammer have been appointed to the Racing Department of Horse Racing Ireland, HRI announced on Thursday. The former is now the head of Racing and Insights and will report to the director of Racing, Jonathan Mullin. Previously with Tattersalls Ireland since 2012 and their director of Horses-in-Training Sales since 2015, he will be responsible for the management of the Racing Department and the Race Planning Function. Pugh will also cease in his role of director of Point-to-Point Services, which he co-founded in 2003. Hammer is the...

A jockey coaching programme that will see five qualified jockey coaches provide mentoring and specialised skills coaching across a range of subject areas to support and enhance the career development of all licensed jockeys in Ireland was launched by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI)'s equuip on Thursday. All five jockey coaches are former riders. The coaches and their regions are as follows: Nina Carberry (Meath and North regions), Paddy Flood and Niall McCullagh (East and Midlands regions), Robbie Moran (South region), and Derek O'Connor (Western region). Former champion jockey Barry Geraghty,...

Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) will undergo a number of structural and personnel changes in the Racing Department, the organization announced Wednesday. With effect from Mar. 1, Jason Morris, who has been Director of Racing since 2002, will become Horse Racing Ireland's Director of Strategy where his focus will be on the delivery and execution of HRI's strategic plan for 2024-2028, which will be launched early in the New Year. Also with effect from Mar. 1, Jonathan Mullin, who has served as Director of Communications and Public Affairs since 2017, will...

Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) announced the launch of its Sustainability Strategy 2024 'Racing towards a better world'. The strategy, which supports Ireland's Climate Action Plan and the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, identifies the role HRI will play in the change in sustainability across the organisation, while also providing guidance and support to the industry. "HRI is committed to fostering an industry-wide culture of sustainability," said Roger Casey, Chief Financial Officer, HRI. "We also want to support the industry to increase its understanding and delivery of sustainability priorities through practical...