The Association of Irish Racehorse Owners has given its unanimous approval to the proposed merger of the Turf Club and the Irish Horseracing Authority. AIRO Chairman Peter McCarthy said: 'The Ministers for Agriculture and Finance have obviously looked seriously at the racing industry with a view to maintaining its security in the future.'
Irish stable staff are to receive a sum of £600,000 annually through a bonus scheme which is set to come into operation in the next fortnight. This scheme will be run by the Turf Club and trainers will have the responsibility of passing the money on to the stable staff. Also, chairman of the Curragh racecourse, Philip Myerscough, has announced that the final phase of the racecouse re-development plan starts in April with the restoration of and refurbishment of the historic weigh-room.
Speaking at a reception in Dublin to launch the beginning of the new season at Irish racing's headquarters, Myerscough also announced the appointment of a new manager, Jason Morris, formerly of the British Horseracing Board, to start in April.
Prize-money of almost £5 million is available for the Flat this season, highlight being the Budweiser Irish Derby on July 2nd which will be worth £850,000. Budweiser's new contract with the Curragh runs until 2004, with the Classic to be worth £1 million in 2003.
There will also be a Millennium 'Million Dollar Bonus' for the winning horse if it has also won either the Vodafone Derby, Prix du Jockey-Club or Kentucky Derby.
Myerscough said: 'This initiative from Budweiser and the input of newcomers such as Entenmann's at the Guineas Festival weekend have helped to build up a prize fund of almost £5 million for the year.'
O'Brien to run two
TWO of Aidan O'Brien's Classic hopefuls, Brahms and Monashee Mountain, could make their seasonal reappearance at the Curragh on Sunday.
They are among 12 preliminary entries for the Loughbrown Stakes, a Listed contest over seven furlongs.
Brahms' finest hour last season came when he finished second to Distant Music in the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, while Monashee Mountain, a £1 million purchase as a yearling, is unbeaten in two starts.
The pair are 20 to 1 and 14 to 1 respectively for the Sagitta 2,000 Guineas with Ladbrokes and could be joined by stablemates Bashkir and Manhattan.
