HRI chief Brian Kavanagh rejects criticism of Curragh facilities

Horse Racing Ireland's chief executive Brian Kavanagh has rejected criticism of the Curragh's temporary facilities during last weekend's Guineas festival and stressed nothing has changed about racing continuing there during the track's €70 million redevelopment.

The former minister for agriculture and prominent broadcaster Ivan Yates described Saturday's 2,000 Guineas card – which was run in very wet weather conditions – as an "embarrassment" and pledged never to go to the Curragh again.

The decision to stage a curtailed summer season at the Curragh with a 6,000 crowd capacity limit during construction in 2017 and 2018 has been controversial. But Kavanagh has again defended it.

“I’m going to the Curragh a long time and I can’t remember a wetter day than Saturday. But then Sunday was very enjoyable and most importantly the racing was absolutely brilliant.

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“We had two outstanding Guineas winner and a good spread of Group winners with Tom Hogan and Andy Slattery both training Group Two winners.

“Classics and Group Ones serve an important purpose for the breeding sector as well and the Guineas has been run at the Curragh for almost a hundred years. That was part of our thinking when we made the decision to keep racing,” he said.

The HRI boss also said the Curragh were unfortunate with weather conditions on Saturday.

Partially collapsed

“I remember one Phoenix Stakes day when the weather was so bad the roof nearly came off the Tote Hall and it partially collapsed. So it’s not like the facilities that were there were very good.

"In fact what I thought was interesting in the race-card at the weekend was a picture of Jackie Onassis and Jack Lynch at the Curragh 50 years ago and sticking up the in the background was the old stand which even back then was starting to look dated.

“What’s important is that we’re building something for the long term. Saturday hasn’t changed anything. The weather was unpleasant for people but it’s not like the weather couldn’t make it unpleasant for people at the Curragh before,” Kavanagh added.

The Turf Club still retains a third voting share on the new Curragh board and a spokesman said on Monday the regulatory body wants racing at the Curragh to continue through construction.

“The Turf Club has no issue with the Curragh continuing to race, either as a regulator or a shareholder. It fully supports the decision to continue racing,” he said.