Richard Pugh

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...

The Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (ITBA) will stage a seminar to discuss the issues surrounding jump breeding in the country on Wednesday, January 17 at The Lord Bagenal in Leighlinbridge, Co Carlow. Entitled 'Jumping into the Future: The Challenges Facing Irish National Hunt Breeding', the debate will be led by trainer and breeder Lorna Fowler of Rahinston Farm and Stud. The panel consists of bloodstock agents Anthony Bromley and Bertrand Le Metayer, breeder and stud owner Peter Molony, vet and consignor Walter Connors, and Tattersalls Ireland director Richard Pugh. Doors...

A new subsidy and bursary programme to encourage qualified riders (amateur jockeys) into racing was established by the George Mernagh Memorial Fund (GMMF) on Friday. The programme is open to all riders with the appropriate experience who aspire to become a qualified rider. Horse Racing Ireland's education, training, and people welfare division Equuip will manage both programmes. All aspiring jockeys who take out their qualified riders license will qualify for the GMMF subsidy, as well as a number of bursaries that cover the cost of a licences, helmet and back...

A National Hunt Panel Discussion was held by the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders' Association Next Generation this week at Tattersalls Ireland following the inspection day of the May Store Sale. Richard Pugh was master of ceremonies, with an expert panel of Highflyer Bloodstock's Tessa Greatrex, Sluggara Farm consignor and veterinarian Walter Conners, Cobajay Stables' Aidan Fitzgerald and bloodstock agent Tom Malone on hand to share their views. Among the topics discussed were how they got into racing, selection at sales, what to forgive in a pedigree and confirmation, and recent prevalence...

The first Tattersalls Cheltenham Preview Panel will be available for viewing on YouTube and Facebook at 7:30 p.m. on Mar. 10, Tattersalls announced on Monday. Hosted by Vanessa Ryle, Richard Pugh, and Jamie Codd, the trio will be joined by guests Paul Nicholls, Anthony Bromley, Tom Malone, Cormac Doyle (Monbeg Stables) and owner John Dance. There will also be insights into the runners in the build up to the Cheltenham Festival on Mar. 16-19, as well as bloodstock analysis on some Cheltenham hopefuls.