BOOKIES' betting pitches on choice sites at race meetings around the Republic now vie with taxi plates in value and exchange hands at more than £40,000 each, the High Court has been told.
Mr Shaymus O'Quigley, counsel for a Dublin bookmaker, said the pitches were ranked in "seniorities" according to how close they were to the finishing post or their accessibility from the grandstand.
Ms Justice Laffoy granted Mr Raymond Farrell, a bookmaker, of Park Lane, Sandymount, Dublin, interim injunctions rest raining his father, Mr Charles Farrell, also a bookmaker, of Laurel Park, Clondalkin, Dublin, and the Irish Horseracing Authority from dealing in the sale of Raymond Farrell's pitches.
Mr O'Quigley told the court there was a limited number of betting pitches. In 1975, Mr Charles Farrell held seniorities at Bellewstown, Dundalk, the Curragh, Fairyhouse, Gowran Park, Laytown, Leopardstown, Naas, Navan and Punchestown racetracks.
As a child, his client went to race meetings with his father and learned the bookmaker trade there, eventually becoming a bookmaker's clerk with him. At 18, he obtained his own licence and a deputy permit in the name of his father which allowed him to act as a bookmaker.
Initially he worked with his father on a 50-50 basis and later bought seniorities at Galway, Tralee, Listowel, Killarney, Clonmel, Mallow, Fairyhouse, Kilbeggan, Limerick, Sligo, Tipperary, Thurles and Tramore racetracks as well as at point to point venues. All were registered under his father's permit.
Mr O'Quigley said his client operated his father's 10 pitches as well as his own until January this year when he took ill. His father and his brother, Dion, had worked the seniorities since then and had been sustaining losses.
At the beginning of August he became aware that his father had offered for sale two seniorities which he, Raymond, owned at Kilbeggan and Fairyhouse. They had been offered at about £25,000, below the market value.
Mr O'Quigley said the Irish Racing Authority had invoked powers delaying the registration of transfer of the two pitches to the purchaser but his client feared his father would attempt to sell.