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Irish Racing Growth Continues Despite Pandemic in HRI Report

Six-month statistics for horse racing and breeding in Ireland shows underlying growth in the industry despite the ongoing challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The report was released by Horse Racing Ireland on Thursday.

The metrics of horses in training (+24%), owners (+23.9%), new owner (+31%), runners (+23.8%), fixtures (+8.4%), and race numbers (+14.6) have all shown strong growth over the corresponding pre-pandemic figures for 2019. Attendance at Irish racecourses was the major area where figures suffered, as there has been no public attendance at any racemeeting in Ireland for the first half of 2021. Owners have been limited to just 200 per meeting and were only able to return to racecourses on June 7.

Brian Kavanagh, CEO of Horse Racing Ireland, said, “The increase in the number of active owners and newly registered owners in Ireland bodes well for the future as does the increase in the number of horses-in-training which is the lifeblood of the industry. This added investment by owners is reflected in the fixture list and the increase in the number of runners in both National Hunt and Flat races can only be of benefit to the industry, particularly in relation to employment.

“The major concern as we moved into 2021 was the absence of persons other than necessary workers from the racecourse and it was six months into the year before owners were able to return. The attendance figure that we publish today is primarily made up of the owners who went racing for a little over three weeks in June.

“Clearly this had a knock-on effect on betting figures, however it is encouraging to note the increase in Tote pool betting compared to the same period in 2019 which is a result of the strategic alliance between Tote Ireland and the UK Tote Group which has been in place since the start of this year.

“2020 saw the bloodstock market severely disrupted with sales frequently deferred or relocated out of Ireland due to travel restrictions. There were issues again earlier this year, but as the restrictions around international travel ease, we are hopeful that the second half of 2021 will bring a return to the growth which the sector has experienced in recent years. The turnover at bloodstock sales in the first half of 2021, particularly the Goffs Land Rover Sale and the Tattersalls Derby Sale was encouraging.

“The number of racemeetings held behind closed doors or with a limited attendance since racing resumed in June 2020 is now in excess of 500 and this has severely impacted racecourses and the various businesses which rely on them.

“The racecourses have proved resilient however and through Government support schemes, cost cutting measures, the HRI sponsorship incentive scheme and media rights revenues, they are managing their way through the crisis. That said, these measures can only be temporary and as the vaccination programme rolls out further, it is important that Irish racecourses are able to welcome back larger crowds at racemeetings.”

Kavanagh concluded, “Overall, the industry has shown resilience in the first six months of 2021 coping with the twin challenges of Brexit and Covid-19. There is a body of work to be done to restore attendances, prizemoney and race sponsorship levels, however the fundamentals of the industry remain strong and activity levels in owning, breeding and buying horses are increasing. The industry continues to deliver in terms of rural employment.

“This was backed up by research carried out for HRI by Red C in February which showed that two out of five people (40%) surveyed in a nationwide poll declared an interest in horse racing, a significant increase from 23% in 2020.

“Off the track, the first six months saw much focus on horse welfare and anti-doping issues and Horse Racing Ireland is working closely with industry stakeholders on a number of issues in both areas and will provide updates on an ongoing basis as this work proceeds.”

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British, Irish Bloodstock Markets Introduce New Industry Code Of Practice

The Bloodstock Industry Forum (BIF) is pleased to announce the completion of the new Bloodstock Industry Code of Practice which will be formally incorporated into the rules of British Racing on Aug. 16 and replaces the previous Bloodstock Industry Code of Practice which has been in place since in 2009 and the ITBA Sales Code of Practice, operational since 2010.

The new Code of Practice has been drawn up in response to the central recommendation made in the BHA Review of the Buying and Selling of Bloodstock and Racehorses in British Racing which was released in December 2019.

Commenting on the new Bloodstock Industry Code of Practice, Tattersalls marketing director Jimmy George, who chairs the Bloodstock Industry Forum, said;

“It has been a long process, but in response to the BHA Review of the Buying and Selling of Racehorses and Bloodstock in Britain, the Bloodstock Industry Forum is delighted to have finalized a new, robust Bloodstock Industry Code of Practice which has been approved by all of the key British and Irish industry bodies as well as the British Horseracing Authority and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board.

“The new Code of Practice will be formally incorporated into the rules of British Racing and appear in all Tattersalls and Goffs sales catalogs, starting with the forthcoming Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale. It will also be widely disseminated and available through all BIF member organizations as well as being subject to regular review. Importantly the new Code of Practice has introduced a complaints procedure independent of the industry bodies and individuals found to be in breach of the Code, either in criminal or civil proceedings or having been sanctioned by the BHA for breach of the code, will also be subject to exclusion from participating at Tattersalls and Goffs sales in Britain and Ireland.

“Second only to the formation of the Bloodstock Industry Forum, replacing the existing Code with a new Code has been the priority in terms of embracing the principal recommendations set out in the BHA Review and we would like to thank all the members of the Bloodstock Industry Forum, which comprises representatives of the BHA, the IHRB, the Federation of Bloodstock Agents, Goffs, The National Trainers Federation, the Racehorse Owners Association, the British and Irish Thoroughbred Breeders Associations, and the Breeze Up Consignors as well as Tattersalls and Goffs, for their commitment to the process from the outset.

“The Bloodstock Industry Forum has also developed an 'E-learning' integrity module which will be adopted as part of the trainer licensing process in Britain as well as being mandatory for members of the Federation of Bloodstock Agents, while both Tattersalls and Goffs have committed to making full ownership details readily available to registered potential buyers as recommended in the Review.”

BHA Chief Executive Julie Harrington said;

“The BHA welcomes the publication of the Code of Practice, and the collaborative industry approach that has been taken to achieve this milestone. The Code of Practice has been approved by the BHA's Board and will be incorporated into the Rules of Racing. It will represent a significant step forwards in terms of enhancing trust in the process of buying and selling bloodstock in Britain and Ireland, and was one of the core recommendations of the Review of buying and selling practices of bloodstock and racehorses within British racing which was commissioned by the Board of the BHA.

“It is essential if we are to attract and retain owners in the sport that anyone involved in the purchase of bloodstock can have confidence that they are being treated fairly, and the Code will help further enhance British racing's reputation on this front. My thanks go to Jimmy George and all members of the Bloodstock Integrity Forum for their efforts and determination to reach this point, and we will continue to work with members of the BIF to make further improvements in this area.”

Goffs Group Chief Executive Henry Beeby added;

“I am pleased that the British and Irish racing and bloodstock industries have come together to deliver one gold standard to enhance the buying and selling of bloodstock on these shores. From an auction house perspective we certainly insist on the same transparency and high standards of integrity at every sale we conduct regardless of location, and feel this new Code addresses all the issues raised in the BHA report.”

Horse Racing Ireland CEO Brian Kavanagh said;

“Horse Racing Ireland and the IHRB welcome the new Code of Practice. We acknowledge the work and collaboration by the Bloodstock Industry Forum in drafting this document, and look forward to continuing our work with all stakeholders.”

Alongside the completion of the new Bloodstock Industry Code of Practice, Oliver St Lawrence on behalf of the Federation of Bloodstock Agents (FBA) confirmed more rigorous procedures for membership of the association, saying;

“Just like the other members of BIF, the FBA have embraced the principles of the BHA Bloodstock Review and have been heartened by the collaboration and willingness to address comprehensively the issues it highlighted. Together with a raft of other new measures, this upgraded Code should protect Principals with a significant tightening up of the definition of acceptable ethical behavior by all participants in the buying and selling of bloodstock and fully clarifies the law in the UK and Ireland. We at the FBA have tightened our membership requirements, which includes all members undertaking the new bloodstock education course, and are pleased to be endorsed by the BHA, and other BIF members, as an association which represents the highest standards of integrity and the recommended trade body that principals should look to use.”

On behalf of the Bloodstock Industry Forum, Jimmy George concluded;

“The commitment from each member of the Bloodstock Industry Forum to delivering a new Code of Practice has been unwavering and we are confident that we have produced a detailed, robust code, subject to regular review, which will stand the test of time. We share a collective responsibility to preserve and enhance the global reputation for integrity which has always been central to the success of the British and Irish bloodstock industries and the new Code sends out the very clear message that we will do everything in our power to maintain and increase confidence in an industry which is held in the highest esteem throughout the world.”

The post British, Irish Bloodstock Markets Introduce New Industry Code Of Practice appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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HRI IRE Incentive Scheme Celebrates First Winner on British Soil

The first winner of Horse Racing Ireland's IRE Incentive Scheme in Britain was Imperial Fighter (Ire) (The Gurkha {Ire}) in the British European Breeders' Fund EBF Maiden S. at the Qatar Goodwood Festival on Saturday. The owner, Michael Blencowe, was awarded a €10,000 IRE Incentive voucher to spend on Irish-breds at Irish sales because Imperial Fighter is an Irish-bred. The IRE Incentive Scheme has now awarded a total of €450,000 in Irish sales vouchers to 36 individual owners since its inception in March of 2021. Additional British-based races that will be part of the new scheme will be announced in due course. For owners to be eligible to win a voucher, runners in relevant races need only be Irish-bred and Foal Levy compliant. For more information and a full list of IRE Incentive races, please visit www.itm.ie/IRE_Incentive.

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Goodwood Maiden To Be IRE Incentive Race

The EBF Maiden S. at Glorious Goodwood on Saturday will be part of Horse Racing Ireland's IRE Incentive scheme, meaning a €10,000 Irish sales voucher will be up for grabs for connections of an Irish-bred winner. The vouchers, of which €440,000 worth have been paid out since the scheme launched in March, are redeemable for Irish-bred yearlings at Irish public auction sales.

“Great Britain is by some distance the biggest export market for Irish Thoroughbreds and it is important to expand the IRE Incentive there,” said Charles O'Neill, chief executive of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing. “There will be more IRE Incentive races run in Britain ahead of the Irish yearling sales. This Saturday's race at the prestigious Qatar Goodwood Festival is the perfect way to kick things off.”

The post Goodwood Maiden To Be IRE Incentive Race appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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