Ballinrobe ‘exonerated’ as flat racing set to continue

BACK FOR MORE The large crowd pictured in attendance at last Monday’s abandoned meeting in Ballinrobe are entitled to entry to one of the final two meetings at the course. Pic: Trish Forde

Michael Duffy

ANOTHER hugely successful season for Ballinrobe Racecourse was somewhat soured last Monday evening when a flat meeting at the track was called off after only three races, due to concern raised by some jockeys about their horses slipping.
In the interim, questions had been posed about the future of flat racing at Mayo’s only racecourse but these fears were firmly rejected at a meeting of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) at The Curragh, yesterday (Monday).
The meeting was attended by representatives from the Irish Jockeys Association, Irish Racehorse Trainers Association, Association of Irish Racehorse Owners, Irish Stablestaff Association, Ballinrobe Race Committee, Association of Irish Racecourses, Horse Racing Ireland and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board. In total there were 24 attendees at the meeting.
The following points were noted and unanimously accepted by all present:
1) The safety of jockeys and horses at all racecourses is paramount and must take precedence over all other considerations.
2) No rider who walked the Ballinrobe track before racing on Monday, August 13, had any issues with the way the track was laid out and presented and all agreed that the Ballinrobe racing surface is one of the best presented surfaces in the country.
3) There was no evidence that the racing surface of the track was giving way underfoot or that it had shifted but it was accepted that the riders had concerns that some horses were slipping.
4) The perceived issue with the racing surface was a once off and unlikely to reoccur.
5) Procedures which the Stewards will apply for the calling off of race meetings will be reviewed.
6) Flat racing should continue at Ballinrobe.
Concerns about the future of flat racing at Ballinrobe after Monday’s abandonment had been raised but Racecourse Manager John Flannelly said the meeting on Monday in the Curragh exonerated those at the track of any wrongdoing and flat racing would be back at Ballinrobe in the 2019 season.
“We are delighted that the right decision has been made and it has been made swiftly. The six points made by IHRB at Monday’s meeting are there for all to see, we feel we have been exonerated of any wrongdoing last Monday night, but we intend to put the matter behind us now, and get on with making sure our last two meetings of the year, which are National Hunt meetings, are a great success,” Mr Flannelly told The Mayo News on his way back from the meeting in the Curragh yesterday.
There had been a groundswell of support for the continuation of flat racing at Ballinrobe, with trainer Tracey Collins saying: “Ballinrobe Racecourse Committee has made every effort possible over the years to improve everything from the track to the stable yard and all in between. When you go to Ballinrobe, everybody is welcomed and looked after so well, it would be a crying shame if there was no flat racing there anymore, we would all miss the great experience that is Ballinrobe racing.”
Those who received admission tickets due to last week’s abandonment can now go racing at Ballinrobe on Tuesday next, August 28, or at the last meeting of the year, on Friday, September 21.