JERRY DESMOND (Clonmel) was elected chairman of the Association of Irish Racecourses (AIR) at its annual general meeting yesterday. He takes over from Pierce Molony, who decided to retire after serving as chairman with great distinction for seven years.

Molony will remain a member of the executive committee and, together with Margaret McGuiness, will continue to represent the association on the Irish Horseracing Authority.

It was also announced yesterday that racecourse executives have approved a scheme whereby members of registered partnerships and syndicates may purchase additional AIR access cards at a nominal rate. At the present time two cards are issued free of charge to each partnership and syndicate.

The AIR have also decided that there will be no general increase in admission charges in the current year.

. Edward P Hickey had his permit to train withdrawn yesterday by the Turf Club after a breach of rule 148 (vi) and the instruction in the rule book under the heading Horses in Training in connection with the colt Executive Merc.

The appeals and referrals committee also instructed that no further application for a renewal from Hickey should be considered prior to March 1st, 1998.

Thomas O'Shea was found to be in breach of rule 147 (ii) with regard to the training of Executive Merc and was fined £1,000. The horse was suspended for 60 days from today.

. Ladbrokes again report significant moves for Boardroom Shuffle in the Smurfit Champion Hurdle betting.

Support for Boardroom Shuffle has been building up all week but it has certainly reached a crescendo today with people stepping in with some very sizeable bets forcing us to cut his odds again from 20 to 1 to 14 to 1 having been 33 to 21 on Monday." said Ladbrokes spokesman Ian Wassell.

Josh Gifford's unbeaten novice has also been well supported with William Hill and has been cut 12 to 1 from 20 to 1. Jessica Harrington's Space Trucker was on the drift yesterday from 7 to 1 to 9 to 1.