Sean Doyle© Photo Healy Racing
Speaking yesterday prior to the announcement of five additional racecourse meetings for point to point horses, leading consignor Sean Doyle spoke of 'very frightening times' for his business.
Wexford based Doyle, who races under the well known Monbeg banner, had been appealing for the safe resumption of point-to-point racing and, through an interview with Racing's InsideTrack TV, stated “we rely on the month of February, which we have missed so far, and people don't realise we only have the month of March to save this crop of horses this year.
“It's very frightening times ahead as we have loads of stock and don't know where we are going to go.
“There is a financial burden with these horses, who have to be fed, exercised, staff wages paid, feed bills, and so on.
“I know we are in awful times with pubs, shops and so on closed but we cant just stop with these horses, put them in a stable and take them out in July and start training them again.
“We had raced at Level 5 for three months but haven't raced at all this year. However two weekends of racing in March would mean the difference to save the whole business and not put us in difficult financial times. We just need the green light to go.”
IHRB yesterday announced five additional racemeetings, catering for point-to-point horses, to be held in March, at Fairyhouse (March 5), Punchestown (15), Wexford (20), Navan (22) and Tipperary (24)
Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of Horse Racing Ireland, stated “Horse Racing Ireland is very aware of the pressures being felt by those in the Point-to-Point community.
“Working closely with the Irish National Hunt Steeplechase Committee, the IHRB and racecourses, HRI has acted to ensure that some opportunities are available in the coming weeks. We very much hope that the national Covid picture improves sufficiently to allow Point-to-Point racing to resume fully post April 5 because of the vital role it plays in National Hunt racing and its importance to the rural economy.”
