HRI

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...

Racing fans may now vote for the Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) Ride of the Year Award, HRI announced on Wednesday. The winner of the online poll will be revealed at the HRI Awards on Monday, Dec. 4. The six rides were picked by Fran Berry and Davy Russell and are as follows: Ride 1: Danny Gilligan - Ash Tree Meadow - Tote Galway Plate - Galway, Aug. 2. Ride 2: Amy Jo Hayes - Redstone Well - Irish Stallion Farms EBF "Nasrullah" Premier H. - Leopardstown, July 13. Ride 3:...

The nominees for the 2023 Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) Awards have been revealed. The HRI Awards will take place early next month in Dublin. A total of 43 nominees were made for the HRI Awards, which are as follows:   Horse of the Year: Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) Auguste Rodin (Ire) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) Galopin Des Champs (Fr) (Timos {Ger}) Energumene (Fr) (Denham Red {Fr}) State Man (Fr) (Doctor Dino {Fr})   National Hunt Award: Paul Townend Willie Mullins Gordon Elliott Barry Connell   Flat Award:...

Colin Keane retains the title of Irish Champion Jockey, his fourth in succession and fifth overall, Horse Racing Ireland announced on Thursday. Joining Keane on the podium will be Aidan O'Brien and Sue Magnier, who also retain their titles of trainer and owner, respectively, while Jamie Powell is favoured to earn the Irish Champion Apprentice title. Keane earned his championship by riding to an unassailable lead in late August. He celebrated group wins aboard Zarinsk (GB) (Kodiac {GB}) on three occasions. In addition, he also rode Group 3 winners for...

Involved since the organisation's founding in 1991, Goffs Chairman Eimear Mulhern will step down from the Irish Thoroughbred Marketing Committee, it was announced Thursday. At Goffs Thursday, Mulhern was presented with a memento from HRI CEO Suzanne Eade, HRI Director of Bloodstock and Equine Welfare John Osborne, and ITM Chairman Dermot Cantillon. A joint statement read, "All at ITM and HRI offer Eimear their sincere thanks for her many years of dedicated service to the Irish industry."

Horses purchased for €1,000 up to €70,000 are among the 51 entries eligible for the €120,000 Irish EBF Auction Series Race Final at Naas Oct. 15. The Irish EBF is the largest sponsor of races in Ireland. "It's hard to win 2-year-old races in Ireland but this series is a great initiative," trainer Noel Meade said. "The races are worth good money and to have the final at the end of it, it really is great. It is nice to be able to say to somebody that we have these...