Dundalk bid for national hunt racing
Officials at racecourse of the year Dundalk are this week celebrating that success and are now planning to introduce national hunt racing at the Co Louth track which in the past featured such big races over jumps as the Carrolls Hurdle at a time when it was okay for tobacco and sports sponsorship to mix.
Dundalk Stadium is in the process of submitting plans to the Dundalk Town Council to widen the existing horse track and construct two straights of turf with the provision of hurdles and fences for jump racing .
All of the jumping will take place on these turf straights.
The turf and drainage underneath has been designed to ensure that there will be consistent good ground and uniquely it will be the only racecourse in the world where the turf will have underground heating similar to what is currently being used in soccer and rugby stadia around the world.
This will ensure that racing can still take place when temperatures go as low as -10.
Dundalk boss Jim Martin said: 'This is a new concept, it will be an opportunity for horses that prefer good going to race during the winter months. It will present similar opportunities to National Hunt owners, trainers and jockeys as the all-weather winter programme has provided for flat owners, trainers and jockeys.'
'We are confident that the horse population exists to support these extra opportunities.
'In 2012 72 per cent of all National Hunt horses raced on ground that was either yielding, soft or heavy and whilst the winter in 2013 has thankfully been very mild and dry to date, weather predictions into the future suggest that our winters are increasingly becoming wet.
'The floodlit aspect of the racing will allow fans of National Hunt racing to enjoy their sport in a unique atmosphere,' he concluded.
Next week at Dundalk the champion flat awards for the track will be decided for the Crowne Plaza Leading Trainer & Jockey Awards on Friday 20th December.
Dunshaughlin trainer Eddie Lynam is vying with Michael Halford on 19 wins each and jockeys Shane Foley on 25 wins with Joseph O’Brien on 22 are battling it out on that front. Earlier this year, Kiltale trainer Ger Lyons became the first handler to train 100 winners at the track.
Conall Collier