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Ireland: Statistics For First Half Of 2020 Illustrate ‘Devastating’ Financial Impact Of COVID-19

Six-month statistics for horse racing and breeding in Ireland, released last week by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), illustrate the devastating impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the industry.

A total of 87 fixtures were lost in Ireland from March to June during the Covid-19 lockdown. Racing resumed behind closed doors on June 8 with strict protocols designed to ensure race fixtures could be run in a safe and controlled manner. Only key personnel who have completed medical screening and thermal checks are permitted on track.

Those lost race meetings – allied with the current scenario of no public attendance at all fixtures held behind closed doors – have decimated attendance figures for the first six months of the year, down almost 80 percent.

The bloodstock sales in the first half of 2020 experienced severe interruption, with sales either deferred or moved out of Ireland. Sales of Thoroughbreds at auction in Ireland for the first six months is down 87.3 percent year-on-year.

The number of active owners during the first six months (i.e. those making an entry) was down by 13.9 percent. Since the resumption of racing, there has been an upturn in the number of horses returned in training.

The number returned at any point during the first six months was down 1.6 percent compared with 2019, having been up by 9.1 percent on March 24 when racing ceased, while the number of horses-in-training at the end of June was up 6.8 percent year-on-year, reflecting the resumption of a full race program under both codes.

With no racing attendances since early March, betting with on-course bookmakers and the Tote was down 73.9 percent. In April, Horse Racing Ireland announced a strategic alliance between Tote Ireland and the UK Tote Group which from early next month will provide bigger pools and a single online betting pool for Irish and UK Tote customers.

Business update from HRI Chief Executive, Brian Kavanagh:

“2020 has been a devastating year for the country and like many other sectors, the horse racing and breeding industry has suffered greatly having effectively come to a standstill on March 24. Against that background, any comparison with previous years is futile. Nevertheless, a few key points are worth highlighting.

“The absence of attendances is having a devastating impact on racecourses and the businesses that depend on them such as on-course bookmakers, Tote, caterers and so on. Horse Racing Ireland and the racecourses are working to develop methods by which attendance can return once deemed appropriate by the Government. This is challenging and the contribution to the industry by the racecourses in continuing to race behind closed doors since June 8 is commendable.

“While traditionally the quieter part of the year, bloodstock sales figures for the first half of 2020 were decimated. The sales companies have shown flexibility with regard to their dates and HRI is working with them and Government to ensure that sales can safely resume in Ireland in August. The equivalent sales of those scheduled to be held between now and the end of the year generated €150m in turnover for Irish breeders in 2019, much of it to overseas buyers.

“With the support of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, horse breeding and training were able to continue safely during the period of restrictions and owners have shown great loyalty with just a small drop in the number of horses in training. HRI is committed to restoring as many of the lost opportunities as possible and has previously announced revised fixtures and race programmes for the rest of the year which will provide opportunities for horses at all levels. I would like to acknowledge the contribution of owners, both domestic and international, in retaining their horses in training which has protected employment and economic activity in rural Ireland.

“Horse Racing Ireland welcomes the strong commitment to develop the industry over the coming years contained in the recently published Programme for Government, particularly in the context of the challenges provided by Covid-19 and Brexit. The racing and breeding industry is one which will contribute to the economic recovery, generating employment and a significant level of international investment into the Irish rural economy. Horse Racing Ireland is working with all elements of the industry to mitigate the impact of the current crisis, however, the challenges facing many participants are significant.”

SUMMARY OF KEY FIGURES:
Attendances down 79.1%
Bloodstock sales down 87.3%
Horses-in-Training down 1.6%
Current Horses-in-Training up 6.8%
Active Owners down 13.9%
Field sizes up 3.4%
On-Course Betting down 73.9%

A full summary of figures can be viewed HERE

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‘Worth Sacrificing’: Ireland-Based Jockey Colin Keane Faces Quarantine By Partnering Siskin At Goodwood

Ireland-based jockey Colin Keane will face 14 days of quarantine after reuniting with Siskin at Glorious Goodwood – but the red-hot rider says that's a sacrifice he was willing to make in a heartbeat.

Dual Classic winner Keane piloted Ger Lyons' cracking colt to a brilliant victory in the Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas last month, toppling Vatican City at the Curragh to extend Siskin's flawless record to five wins from five.

Lyons confirmed that Goodwood's Qatar Sussex Stakes will be next for the 3-year-old, as the trainer targets another Group One glory following Even So's triumph in the Juddmonte Irish Oaks this weekend.

The coronavirus restrictions mean Keane will face two weeks of quarantine upon returning to Ireland after Goodwood, however, severely jeopardizing his chances of usurping Shane Foley's lead at the summit of the Leading Jockeys table.

Keane has partnered Siskin in all five of his trips so far and while this time may all but end his chances of regaining his Champion Jockey crown of 2017, he says he simply couldn't pass the opportunity to team up with the speedster once more.

“It's definitely worth sacrificing the two weeks,” Keane told Nick Luck's Daily Podcast. “There are not too many like Siskin that I've got to sit on before, so when a horse like that comes around you want to be on him everyday – especially on the big days.

“Hopefully there'll be other championships in the future, but there might not be another Siskin for a very long time, so I want to take every opportunity.

“He's been great since the Guineas, he looks a million dollars and we couldn't be happier with him. We'll keep him wrapped up and it's about getting him there in one piece.”

The Keane-Lyons axis banged in their second Classic winner of the season on Saturday as Even So followed in Siskin's glittering footsteps in the Juddmonte Irish Oaks.

The fabulous filly reeled in Jessica Harrington's Cayenne Pepper – with Foley on board – as Keane delivered a red-hot performance of his own to make things spicy in the Leading Jockeys table.

The 25-year-old has now ridden 28 winners this season, one behind Wayne Lordan but still 11 triumphs adrift of Foley's table-topping 39 efforts.

Foley and Harrington remain without a Classic victory this campaign, however, with Aidan O'Brien landing the other two races with wins for Peaceful and Santiago in the Tattersalls Irish 1000 Guineas and Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

Keane, the 2014 Champion Apprentice, is a man for the big occasion and while both his Classic triumphs have come behind closed doors, it's done little to diminish his joy.

“It was a brilliant weekend – it's still surreal, and one we'll remember for a while I think,” he added.

“Anytime I've ridden a Group One winner there's been nobody there, so it's strange but we're not going to complain.

“There was a lot of pressure for Siskin, but not so much on the filly, so we were just hoping for black type. To go and do what she did was surreal, she was very good.”

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Aidan and Donnacha O’Brien Temporarily Banned From Irish Courses

Trainers Aidan and Donnacha O’Brien have been fined €2,500 each and prohibited from attending race meetings in Ireland for two weeks for failing to enter The Curragh through the health screening area at a meeting last month. The pair were found to have breached coronavirus health screening protocols at the County Kildare course on June 12, which was G1 Irish 2000 Guineas day during the week racing resumed in Ireland. The matter was heard by the referrals panel of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board on Monday.

A tweet from the IHRB read, “At a referral hearing of Aidan O’Brien [Trainer] & Donnacha O’Brien [Trainer] following a referral from The Curragh on 12/06/20 both trainers were fined €2,500 & prohibited from attending a racecourse for 2 weeks for failing to enter The Curragh through the health screening area.”

IHRB press officer Niall Cronin said, “We noted the decision of the referrals committee and the various protocols regarding Covid-19 are very serious. It is important that they are strictly adhered to at all times to make sure that racing can continue in a safe manner for everyone involved.”

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Irish Trainer Emmet Mullins Banned Three Months For Breaching COVID-19 Protocols

Irish trainer Emmet Mullins, a nephew of champion jumps trainer Willie Mullins, was sentenced to a fine and three-month ban this week after breaching COVID-19 protocols at Leopardstown on June 14, according to the Racing Post.

Mullins had been refused access to Leopardstown when he did not have the proper barcode, but entered the course anyway because he believed his groom would struggle to handle the horse Oriental Eagle (entered in the Listed Saval Beg Stakes) on his own. The Irish Horse Racing Regulatory Board (IHRB) called it an “extremely serious” breach of protocol, and fined the trainer €5,000 (about US$6,255).

Oriental Eagle finished sixth of seven runners.

“I accept the findings of today's hearing,” Mullins told the Racing Post. “I apologize for my actions, it was done without thought and in the heat of the moment. I won't be appealing, however, I have made a request to the IHRB that I donate the funds to our frontline workers.”