Irish racing

They need to cut the amount of graded races over jumps, and turn them into decent handicaps. It will help the smaller trainers win some nice prize money and force the best trainers to run their best horses against each other.

Vinnie that would be just giving more money to the rogues. Far better to suspend all the non triers and throw away the keys.

no easy solutions to the problems..

you want a serious discussion Jumping you better have more ideas than "Kavanagh and his buddies" out! Its a pretty stupid starting point because as you know HRI is the civil service with tails and I haven't seen many of those ever moved sideways or backwards.

You might be accused of just fishing without telling us whats wrong in your view and what sensible solutions/suggestions you have.

Anyway, I thought there was an alternative to the ITBA and HRI in Ireland at the moment - the Racing Alliance(?) - are you part of that movement for change based on a desire not to pay a small foal levy - Irish racing's "water charges" equivalent ?

So what's wrong with the game apart from the very obvious? - too many large owners as a result of the paucity of small owners. Every time someone suggests  a solution like clubs or syndicates or shared ownership they get run over here like they were foster parents in a brothel. Suggested changes to the "small man's" handicaps will be welcomed by the Martinstown bureaucracy now that they have finally sussed how to win them all, after 20 years of trying

This is a good discussion thread.

The cause of the problem is the Association of Irish Racehorse Owners (AIRO)
They don't care about the small or medium size owner. They are only interested in looking after the  elite. I know this from experience because I tried to take them on.
In the last 10 years they have achieved that goal. No other country in the world comes near having listed, Graded or Group races for 10% of all their flat and jumps races.
80% of flat horses have an official rating under 70 and it is  similar over jumps for horses rated under 110. Less than 10% of the prize money is distributed to these category of horses. €60,000,000, will go to prize money this year. That money comes from tax payers. Sadly, those who will win the vast majority of that prize money have chosen NOT to pay any tax in this country.
Whats the solution?
Small and medium sized trainers and owners need to get together to form an alternative association.

^^^ village signing in ^^^

ok where do u start.. I guess most recently.. racing in limerick next Wednesday.. entries closed today at noon. PROGRAMME DECIDED TWO DAYS AGO TUESDAY... sack the board

They are bang on top of the drugs issue to be fair to them . Chances of a big name getting caught are zero IMO.

One of the biggest days racing of the year and HRI couldnt manage to get a sponsor for the Irish Gold Cup.
I think that sums up the ineptitude of the public funded organisation.

Not one of them had the wit to go to Google or Apple and offer them some good deal,a way to get some new blood into racing.

Maybe the fact that the 6 Nations will get all the publicity this weekend had a lot to do with Companies or otherwise keeping their money in their pockets .

Has there been much rain up there ?
What will the ground be like ?

I'm not that far away from the course ,and yes we had a fair amount of rain overnight ,ground outside my house is still wet , the goodthing is Leopardstown is a quick drying track , could be on the soft to heavy side .