SUCH has been the improvement in the finances of the Irish Horseracing Authority so far this year, with total betting up by 10 per cent and attendances also increasing, that next year prize money will show an increase of £500,000 on the 1996 figure.
This is welcome news for Irish racing which has been through, quite a lean spell. Interestingly, the increase in the volume of betting owes much to the SP shops at Leopardstown, the Curragh and Galway and wagering on "away meetings with the course bookmakers.
These forms of betting have been subject to a 10 per cent levy since October 1995 and in the current year this new source of revenue for the Authority is expected to generate over £200,000.
Obviously course SP shops are going to be a vital factor in the finances of Irish racing and Ladbrokes now control all three opened so far. It will be fascinating to see what the English firms attitude will be when that infamous agreement, between the Authority and the course bookmakers banning punters in SP shops betting on Irish racing,, ends in December.
Twentynine two year olds were declared for the Elverstown EBF Maiden at Punchestown this afternoon, leading to the event being the divided. In the opening division, Bold Tycoon, who has been off the track since coming up against a talented juvenile, Churchland, on the opening day of the Curragh Derby meeting, is the choice. The Weld newcomer, Mukarrab, who is by Dayjur, is a likely danger.
In the second division, Rayouni, who ran extremely well in a maiden at Leopardstown in August in which the runner up was the future Group One winner, Desert King, has Ciste, runner up to Johan Cruyff at Leopardstown, to overcome.
Drindod upset the odds on Any Port in a three horse race at Downpatrick, should have a fitness advantage on some of his long absent rivals in the Ingoldsby Handicap Chase and is a hopefuls choice.
Clonagam, no match for his stable companion Liss De Paor at Listowel on Saturday, should find the opposition in the Knockadog Hurdle more to his liking,
Successful in a handicap at the Galway Festival, Shahnaad ran a fine race on softer ground at Tralee when runner up to Osvaldo. His stable is also represented by Auraliano, a winner at Ballinrobe in June and whose prospects cannot be ignored,
Unless yesterday's Navan third Tirol's Luck turns out again, Fairy Lake would appear easily the pick of the field for the Nasrraghmore Maiden.
