FACT BOOK 2011 Horse Racing Ireland Ballymany The Curragh Co.Kildare Ph: 00353 45 455455 Fax: 00353 45 455456 Email: [email protected] Website: www.hri.ie or www.goracing.ie www.hri.ie CONTENTS CHIEF EXECutive’s INTRO 02 RACING REVIEW 04 January 04 February 06 March 08 April 10 May 12 June 14 July 16 August 18 September 20 October 22 November 24 December 26 STATISTICS Attendance 28 On-Course Betting 32 Off-Course Betting 33 Tote 33 Betting by Racecourse 34 Breeding 37 Irish Sales 37 Horses in Training 38 Ownership 39 Fixtures 40 Entries and Runners 42 Balloting 47 Prize Money 49 Sponsorship 53 Top Ten Flat and NH Horses 56 Exports 58 Trainers, Riders and Staff 61 Irish Classifications 62 Owners, Trainers & Jockeys 65 2012 FIXTURE LIST 70 MAJOR NH & FLAT RACES 2011 72 MAP OF RACECOURSES 73 GO RACING KIDS CLUB 74 HRI AMBASSADORS 75 CROWNING OF CHAMPIONS 76 JOG FOR CHAMPIONS 77 HRI AWARDS 2010 78 PHOTO INDEX 80 FACTBOOK 2011 // 1 INTRODUCTION HORSE RACING IRELAND INTRODUCTION 2011 n behalf of Horse Racing Ireland, Bookmakers’ betting on-course fell from O I am pleased to present the Irish €107.4 million to €97.5million, reflecting Racing Fact Book for the year the twin challenges of the recession and 2011 which includes a wide range of online wagering, while prize-money fell statistical data relating to the racing and from €46.0 million to €44.4 million and is breeding industry in Ireland. Racecourse now at its lowest level since 2002. attendances and bloodstock sales in Off course betting in bookmaker shops 2011 were the source of good news as amounted to €2.7 billion. were the Tote turnover figures, driven by growth in international co-mingling Irish-trained horses had remarkable deals. success in the UK and overseas, with a 53% increase in prize money won abroad The average attendance at race from €8.5 million in 2010 to €13 million. meetings in 2011 was 3682, up 3% Irish trainers’ achievements are reflected from 3586. The growth in racecourse in the World Thoroughbred Rankings attendance is particularly welcome for 2011, with six of the top ten and given the pressure that leisure and retail fourteen of the top thirty two-year-olds markets generally have been under. Irish-trained. Tote betting was €51.1 million, up 11.3% from €45.9 million, with most of the Irish racing’s recovery is being limited increase generated by international by cutbacks to its budget, totalling 26% co-mingling deals. The Tote has been since 2008 as a consequence of low very active in building its online and betting duties and the movement of Racecourse mobile presence, including the launch betting revenues online and off-shore. of a new app for the iPhone. Our prize money is at its lowest level attendances and for ten years, at a time when other bloodstock sales in Bloodstock sales were the star major European racing countries are performer, growing 19% to €81 million announcing increases. 2011 were the source from €68 million, giving hope that this of good news as were all-important part of the rural economy The Government’s plans to extend the Tote turnover can deliver real growth for Ireland. betting duty to remote betting and exchanges and to carry out a review figures, driven by There were, however, a number of of the industry, offer the prospect of a growth in international disappointing figures, - the number of secure funding mechanism for racing and new owners registered levelled off a we look forward to working with Minister co-mingling deals. fraction above the 2010 figure at 777, but Coveney and his Department on this task. the total ownership figure fell 8.3% from 4,667 to 4278, while the average number I congratulate all the leading owners, of horses in training fell from 5,769 to trainers, jockeys and horses for their 5,030, the lowest number in ten years. outstanding contributions last year, and This figure is a cause for real concern as I wish them and all others involved in this this is the area where rural employment great industry a successful 2012. is most affected. Brian Kavanagh Chief Executive FACTBOOK 2011 // 3 MONTHLY REVIEW HORSE RACING IRELAND JANUARY 2011 he MCR Hurdle at Leopardstown Back on the domestic front, Willie Mullins T is always the highlight of the and Paul Townend continued their opening weeks of the year, domination of the Irish big-race scene as well as being one of the most at Leopardstown, completing a double competitive races of the entire racing that included the featured Grade 1 BHP calendar, but this year’s renewal was Insurances Irish Champion Hurdle with turned into something of a procession Hurricane Fly. Now without question by the Willie Mullins-trained Final Ireland’s best hurdler, the seven-year-old Approach. Ridden by Paul Townend, the was always travelling well and having five-year-old was in command from early led before the final flight, he readily in the straight and eventually had two stretched away to record an easy 3 1/2 lengths to spare over his stable mate Call lengths success. The other Grade 1 on The Police. Away from the main event, the card was the Frank Ward Solicitors Dessie Hughes was the star performer, Arkle Novice Chase and it was the Noel completing a big-race double courtesy Meade-trained, Paul Carberry-ridden of the wins of the Davy Russell-ridden Realt Dubh that took the spoils in a Magnanimity in the Grade 2 Tote Pick thrilling contest. Six Killiney Novice Chase and the Paddy Flood-ridden Rare Bob in the Tote The twice postponed Connolly’s Red Pick Six Every Sunday Leopardstown Mills Thyestes Handicap Chase meeting Handicap Chase. finally took place at Gowran Park on the final Friday of the month and it was the The following week saw the promising Dessie Hughes-trained Siegemaster that young trainer David Marnane make an took the spoils in an exciting renewal immediate impact with his first runner at of the feature race. A rare winning top- the Dubai Carnival, saddling Dandy Boy weight in the historic race, Davy Russell Willie Mullins and to record an easy success in the valuable gave the 10-year-old a strong ride on Dolce Vita Handicap at Meydan. Ridden his way to recording a hard-fought 3/4 Paul Townend by Colm O’Donoghue, the five-year- length success. continued their old was sent to the front 1f out and ran out the 13/4 lengths winner, stamping The closing days of the month saw domination of the himself as a leading Irish prospect for the Punchestown Racecourse achieve Irish big-race scene remainder of the Carnival. something of a milestone, becoming the first racecourse in Ireland to at Leopardstown The collective will of the racing world was successful utilise covers to protect their not enough to see Kauto Star home in racing ground from frost. Thanks to the the King George VI Chase at Kempton measures taken in the days leading up the following Saturday. Paul Nicholl’s to their Tied Cottage Chase card, all the stable star looked in trouble from some races bar the cross-country chase went way out under Tony McCoy and his bid ahead as scheduled. Champion Trainer for a historic fifth win in the race was Willie Mullins completely dominated ended by a shuddering mistake at the proceedings, saddling the winners of five penultimate fence. His misfire allowed of the six races on the card, including the the Nicky Henderson-trained Long Run feature race with Golden Silver. Given an to run out the impressive winner under excellent ride by Paul Townend, the nine- JANUARY his amateur rider Sam Waley-Cohen, with year-old hit the front in the closing stages Attendance Fixtures Tote Bookmakers SP Shop No Of Runners his stable mate Riverside Theatre taking to get the better of his old rival Big Zeb second. by half a length. 2011 42,928 17 1,901,952 5,388,594 622,565 1,540 2010 34,731 15 1,345,497 5,106,436 641,419 1,073 Variance 8,197 2 556,455 282,158 18,854 467 % Var 24% 13% 41.30% 5.5% 2.9% 43.5% FACTBOOK 2011 // 5 MONTHLY REVIEW HORSE RACING IRELAND FEBRUARY 2011 The Irish racing scene was plunged into Carnival, sending out Across The Rhine sadness just a few days later with news to win a valuable 7f handicap at Meydan. that amateur rider Jack Tyner, who had Ridden by Willie Supple, the five-year- been in an induced coma since a fall at old made all the running and had just a point-to-point in Dungarvan five days enough in reserve to claim the €68,000 previously, had died early on Monday pot by a neck. February 7th just hours after undergoing surgery. The only son of trainer Robert The Grade 2 Red Mills Trial Hurdle Tyner and his wife Mary, the 19-year- was the co-main event on Saturday’s old had been treated for a serious card at Gowran Park and it saw the head injury at Cork University Hospital Philip Fenton-trained Dunguib make following the heavy fall. an impressive winning seasonal reappearance under Brian O’Connell. Jessica Harrington continued her The other co-main event on the card remarkable year at Leopardstown the was the Grade 2 Red Mills Chase and it following Saturday, combining with saw the Robbie Hennessy-trained Rubi Robbie Power to complete a Grade 1 Light produce an impressive winning double.