Irish Sports
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27 Jan 11
16:14
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05 Jan 10
irishracing.com
- Four miles of racecourse covered to beat forecast
In an unprecedented move Punchestown racecourse today announced that they are currently covering four miles of the track in a bold bid to beat the forecasted freezing temperatures ahead of Sunday’s brilliant ****.com Chase day at the Kildare venue.
The forecast for the Punchestown area is -4.5 degrees for Friday night and at least –3 degrees on Saturday night which is sufficient to cause frozen ground and subsequently an abandonment of the Sunday’s meeting. The covers will measure 70,000 metres squared and are currently being laid on the entire hurdle and chase.
Given the harsh winters Ireland has recently endured, track covering has become somewhat of a necessity and Punchestown have undertaken research in this area. The method adopted for this weekend will involve the use of a strong gauge pure polythene product developed and supplied in conjunction with Bord Na Mona and Rita Shah racehorse owner and M.D. of Shabra. The product is currently used extensively throughout the country by Bord Na Mona.
On hearing about the innovation Big Zeb’s trainer Colm Murphy said “This is brilliant news from Punchestown. Its great that they have taken the lead in planning to beat the elements. Racing has suffered this season and Punchestown must be applauded in the efforts they are taking to ensure this meeting goes ahead. Big Zeb is in great form and we are looking forward to running in the ****.com Chase on Sunday”.
Dick O’Sullivan, General Manager Punchestown Racecourse commented “The expense of this project is one thing to consider but the prospect of losing a fantastic card on Sunday having lost the John Durkan Memorial Chase day last December is a blow we are not willing to take. So while we have been researching, the current circumstances have demanded that we have had to make the move quicker than anticipated. This is a new project and we have no guarantee that it will work but we are going to give it our best shot. We have no doubt that we will be refining the plan as we can only learn from this experience. We would like to thank both Bord Na Mona and Rita Shah for their assistance in making this happen.
Richie Galway, Racing and Operations Manager at Punchestown stated “The ground is currently soft and the viability of maintaining that is now down to manpower. The clerk of the course Joe Collins has been onsite this morning and together we shall continue to monitor the situation. Horse Racing Ireland have been consulted and are very interested in the outcome and the prospects will bring with it.”
Sunday’s seven race card goes to post at 1.20 and will include:
The Mianech Venture Capital Maiden Hurdle
The Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle (2 miles)
The Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Qualifier
The Grade 2 ****.com Tied Cottage Chase
The AIRO Grand National Trial
The Glenfarclas PP Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase
The Rockview Flat Race
Admission - €18 general. €10 Student and Senior Citizen.
- Four miles of racecourse covered to beat forecast
In an unprecedented move Punchestown racecourse today announced that they are currently covering four miles of the track in a bold bid to beat the forecasted freezing temperatures ahead of Sunday’s brilliant ****.com Chase day at the Kildare venue.
The forecast for the Punchestown area is -4.5 degrees for Friday night and at least –3 degrees on Saturday night which is sufficient to cause frozen ground and subsequently an abandonment of the Sunday’s meeting. The covers will measure 70,000 metres squared and are currently being laid on the entire hurdle and chase.
Given the harsh winters Ireland has recently endured, track covering has become somewhat of a necessity and Punchestown have undertaken research in this area. The method adopted for this weekend will involve the use of a strong gauge pure polythene product developed and supplied in conjunction with Bord Na Mona and Rita Shah racehorse owner and M.D. of Shabra. The product is currently used extensively throughout the country by Bord Na Mona.
On hearing about the innovation Big Zeb’s trainer Colm Murphy said “This is brilliant news from Punchestown. Its great that they have taken the lead in planning to beat the elements. Racing has suffered this season and Punchestown must be applauded in the efforts they are taking to ensure this meeting goes ahead. Big Zeb is in great form and we are looking forward to running in the ****.com Chase on Sunday”.
Dick O’Sullivan, General Manager Punchestown Racecourse commented “The expense of this project is one thing to consider but the prospect of losing a fantastic card on Sunday having lost the John Durkan Memorial Chase day last December is a blow we are not willing to take. So while we have been researching, the current circumstances have demanded that we have had to make the move quicker than anticipated. This is a new project and we have no guarantee that it will work but we are going to give it our best shot. We have no doubt that we will be refining the plan as we can only learn from this experience. We would like to thank both Bord Na Mona and Rita Shah for their assistance in making this happen.
Richie Galway, Racing and Operations Manager at Punchestown stated “The ground is currently soft and the viability of maintaining that is now down to manpower. The clerk of the course Joe Collins has been onsite this morning and together we shall continue to monitor the situation. Horse Racing Ireland have been consulted and are very interested in the outcome and the prospects will bring with it.”
Sunday’s seven race card goes to post at 1.20 and will include:
The Mianech Venture Capital Maiden Hurdle
The Grade 2 Moscow Flyer Novice Hurdle (2 miles)
The Pertemps Handicap Hurdle Qualifier
The Grade 2 ****.com Tied Cottage Chase
The AIRO Grand National Trial
The Glenfarclas PP Hogan Memorial Cross Country Chase
The Rockview Flat Race
Admission - €18 general. €10 Student and Senior Citizen.
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Replies: 60
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Hallelujah!!!!!
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€18 in. A bit rough in these austere times.
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card ain't worth that imo .... will these people ever learn .....
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They must have taken note of the efforts of SPK and NWB greyhound tracks of late
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€18 . Very steep. When will these guys ever learn . €15 in to Leopardstown last Sunday for the Irish Champion Hurdle.
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Does 3 euro make that much of a difference?
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Its the principal of it, as Santry said €15 into the Champion Hurdle meeting.
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They have spent a lot of money on these innovative covers and for that alone deserve support.I also think this card is better than Leopardstowns.
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wildman, we are in the second decade of the 21st century and this weekend see's the first time an Irish course has used frost covers!! If they're looking a pat on the back they're looking in the wrong fkn place!
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Downallstar...Why so harsh?They are trying something new at considerable expense,i admire their initiative.You seem reasonable,with a genuine gra for racing,give them something for effort.
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Why has it taken so long for us to see frost covers in this country?? I'm delighted its happened, just p.ssed off its taken so bloody long!
Even tracks like Fontwell have had frost covers for years in England, we are so behind the time with facilities its a joke, esp when you compare the prizemoney between the two countries. Why don't we have turftrax & going stick readings in Ireland? Also a note from Ruby Walsh's book, the on course facilities in Ireland even at the Grade 1 tracks are a joke for jockeys in his view. Great sport, love it, but those running it are clueless. |
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Britain always had harsher winters than us,lived there in 1962/63 when everything froze,its only this year past that we are getting something similar.It used to be rain that caused all the cancellations in Ireland.
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i've a few spare tickets for sunday. will happily pass on a couple if somebody wants them.
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I have a couple as well from spoils and dont think ill be going.
If anyones definitely going post email address and ill be in touch |
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Is anybody interested in a couple of freebies tomoro.Id hate to see them go to waste
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Would gladly tKE TICKETS FOR lEOP sUNDAY MONEYPENNY
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If you want them ill need an email address to forward on details to you SW
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any tickets going id take 2
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mickeyhr938@gmail.com
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leinster1323@gmail dot com
i'd like 2, and i'd be more than happy to meet anyone there. no worries if not, won't be too much in i'm sure. |
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come on murray 3-1 btw.
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Meeting now starts at 1.50 as first race cancelled due to frost.
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Ive mailed One last Chance with ticket collection details as he was the first one to post email address
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arrived real early ... never heard it was put back ...left after 3nd ... good enough crowd .... mullins the master...
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Anyone with any views on the bumper? Was thinking of having a few quid on nurney hill?
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Had a few bob on Starling Lady at 34+
Am quite surprised it has been matched de whole way up to 50  Didnt run that badly at all in a maiden hurdle fto 3 weeks ago when just runnin out of steam the last 2 furlongs - think the 20 currently on offer is stil fair Could nt out u off Nurney Hill though, was a very decent bumper he ran in fto PS is Rivage D'Or the biggest dog in train?ing!! |
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4th of course [>o][>o]
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what a day
Some Target, Gagewell Flyer, Raptor and Square Sphere  If only Big Zeb had won too we could of got the lot  |
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Some training performance by Willie Mullins, and some tidy riding by PT!!!
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some day for mullins alright had very good word for raptor and good word for mono man mullins bumper wasnt fancied at all
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Has anyone else here got a decent horse apart from Mullins!?
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can someone decipher wonky's 16.06 post for me please???????????????????
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the jackpot was 55476 euro, 41 winners paid 1014.80 that's 41606.80 paid out.
where did the other 13869.20 go? is it 25% tax? tia. |
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Slickster......The man arrived at punchestown early as he didn't know the first race had been cancelled. He left after the 3rd race, a decent crowd attended and Willie Mullins is one hell of a trainer.
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why was no traffic not allowed to turn left coming out of main gate any one know? bad accident or did that glider that flew over the stand fall out of the sky?
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Bad accident. It was announced on the closed circuit tv after the last race.
It could have been announced earlier too. |
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Irish Guy, 25% is the deduction on the jackpot and placepot. In the UK it is 28%.
Sattelite should have done it and got a grand!! Ruby will want to start off all guns blazing when he comes back as it is possible that after a year of injuries that young Townend will be the equal of him. |
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yeah it was announced earlier alright.
i shared the jackpot, i'd 5 horses running for me in the last, and they filled the first 3 places in the race[:)] did not know 25% goes to the government. false advertising really. |