Limited number of fans atch the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival at The Curragh Racecourse in Kildare
Limited number of fans atch the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival at The Curragh Racecourse in Kildare
The Association of Irish Racecourses (AIR) are requesting an "urgent review" on the capacity restrictions which are leaving Irish racing in the wilderness.
Other sports like the GAA are ploughing ahead with 24,000 permitted to attend last weekend's All-Ireland SHC semi-finals – while 40,000 can attend All-Ireland senior finals over the coming weeks – but racing is being left in the cold.
Just 500 paying spectators, outside of owners, are currently allowed to attend Irish race meetings and AIR CEO Paddy Walsh is calling for swift change amid frustration surrounding the "unsustainable" restrictions which are crippling many Irish racecourses.
"The fact that racing has continued without incident with capped attendances nationwide and at trial events with 1,000 spectators at meetings which took place at festivals like The Curragh and Galway Races, furthers our resolve to welcome more racing fans back to our facilities soonest," Walsh said today.
"Racecourses are fundamentally unique sporting venues with copious outdoor viewing areas to ensure the safety of our patrons.
"Our personnel are highly skilled professionals who are familiar with and more than capable of catering for spectators greater than the current limits imposed. Each racecourse has independent regulatory and compliance officers on-site to ensure consistency nationwide.
"There has been sizeable investment in outdoor facilities and Covid-19 protocol and guideline implementation at all racecourses we represent to facilitate greater attendances. We are requesting an urgent review of the current capacity restrictions which are unsustainable for many.”
The AIR have requested a formal meeting with Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) in an attempt to address the matter having "meticulously" abided by Covid-19 regulations.
“Our members have done everything that has been asked of them since the white flag was raised and we resumed racing behind closed doors. Racecourses have turned their facilities inside out to ensure that protocols and guidelines have been meticulously adhered to at our tracks nationwide," Walsh added.