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Fri 19th Mar 2021

Jordan Gainford

The feeling I had after winning the Paddy Power Plate at Cheltenham on The Shunter yesterday (Thursday) was something I never experienced before, I can tell you that. It’s a different feeling. It’s unbelievable. The Shunter is a class horse and fair play to the trainer Emmet Mullins and the owners, to ask a seven-pound claimer to ride a horse with such a calibre, to ride in a race like this, I cannot thank them enough.

11.14AM
Mon 15th Mar 2021

A Festival Like No Other

From an outsider’s viewpoint horse racing must often have the appearance of being more like a religious cult than a sport. The annual devotion to the Cheltenham Festival does little to dissuade that view.

2.40PM
Fri 12th Mar 2021

Robbie Power

It is no great revelation to say that this season has not gone as planned but that is the case for everyone.

12.03PM
Mon 8th Mar 2021

Chelliottenham

Not since the kidnapping of Shergar in 1983 have we seen Irish horse racing thrust on to the world stage like it has this Past week. The power of one single still image has been truly extraordinary. As has the tsunami of outrage that accompanied its publication.

3.36PM
Fri 5th Mar 2021

William Cronin

You don’t get too many 11-year-olds wearing a hood and you don’t get too many winning beginners’ chases but Southerner has never been your ordinary horse. It says a lot for him that he wants to race so keenly at his age. He’s always taking a bite. He was quite free in his bumpers especially and we stuck the hood on when we went over hurdles and it definitely relaxed him a little bit but he does like to get on with things still. He’s a Westerner and they can be like that.

11.23AM
Mon 1st Mar 2021

Oh Gordon what have you done?

Horse racing has been put through the ringer over the last twelve months. Cheltenham last year stirred up deep-routed prejudices about racing being an elitist sport that couldn’t care less about anything outside its own bubble.

3.52PM
Fri 26th Feb 2021

Hugh Morgan

The phone hasn’t stopped hopping since Young Dev won the Racing Again March 6th Handicap Chase at Navan on Sunday. I couldn’t believe it to be honest. It worked out well. If he hadn’t won, I’d have been screwed!

9.29AM
Mon 22nd Feb 2021

Are there more Viking Hoards waiting to be found?

In the aftermath of Charles Byrnes’ unsuccessful appeal against the suspension of his training licence the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) held a press conference on Zoom last week.

1.36PM
Fri 19th Feb 2021

Louise Lyons

Epson Du Chenet was my first winner as a trainer at Naas last December, not long after I had taken out the licence, and it was fantastic that he stuck his neck out to win again at Thurles on Monday.

1.04PM
Mon 15th Feb 2021

Actions speak louder than words

Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) issued a landmark statement on Friday when they announced plans for a zero-tolerance drug testing regime, the installation of CCTV in all racecourse stable yards and increased transparency in the reporting of the testing carried out by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB).

1.27PM
Fri 12th Feb 2021

Jonathan Sweeney

It was a brilliant day on Monday when Roseys Hollow won the Grade Three Race Displays Solerina Novice Hurdle at Fairyhouse.

11.23AM
Mon 8th Feb 2021

A great weekend’s entertainment

The Dublin Racing Festival, or should I say the Closutton Racing Festival, was a great weekend’s entertainment. Top class fare with some exceptional performances and the lack of a crowd didn’t detract from the enjoyment of watching on TV.

4.56PM
Thu 4th Feb 2021

Niall Flynn

You would always like to be involved in something as big as Dublin Racing Festival but there was nothing really suitable for Colreevy so we will be watching the quality racing instead.

4.09PM
Mon 1st Feb 2021

Punters given a raw deal by Naas stewards

The handling of the 'false start' at Naas on Sunday was a shambles and displayed a total disregard for punters by the stewards.

4.15PM
Fri 29th Jan 2021

John Flavin

Street Value showed his toughness when coming out just nine days after winning at Clonmel to take the Adare Manor Opportunity Handicap Hurdle under Barry John Foley at Gowran Park on Thursday.

10.42AM
Mon 25th Jan 2021

Viking Hoard case creating a headache for authorities

The IHRB’s investigation into the nobbling of Viking Hoard at Tramore in 2018 has opened a can of worms that is going to be very difficult to shut.

5.22PM
Fri 22nd Jan 2021

Brian Hayes

Frere Tuck was my 21st winner of the season, which has been rolling along nicely for me. It is my best tally to date thankfully, having clocked up 17 in both 2014-15 and 2016-17. The strike rate of 13 per cent is my first time in double figures, so things have definitely been going well touch wood.

12.43PM
Tue 19th Jan 2021

Good week for IHRB

Only two weeks ago the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB) was on the backfoot. The organisation whose mission statement reads “ensuring the reputation of Irish horseracing and confidence in the sport is protected by robust and transparent regulatory practices, by a professional and progressive team” had looked less than professional in its defending of inaccurate race distances and inconsistent sanctions against trainers.

7.08PM
Fri 15th Jan 2021

Seáinín Mahon

I know how lucky I am to be Envoi Allen’s groom but I get nervous when it’s coming up to race time. Once the declarations came out for Sunday’s Grade 3 Sky Bet Killiney Novice Chase at Punchestown, I was studying the form and pestering Keith Donoghue, who rides him out, making sure he was okay.

1.29PM
Thu 14th Jan 2021

Bookmakers holding all the Aces

The perpetual tussle between punters and bookmakers is as old as time. But, while the bookmakers have always held the edge, that advantage is getting far more pronounced as technology and corporations replace the human face of the sole-trader bookie.

4.16PM
Thu 7th Jan 2021

Weather doing racing a favour

The recent cold snap is a blessing in disguise for the horse racing industry. With the spread of Covid out of control post-Christmas the last thing horse racing needed was mass outbreaks within its ranks and this week’s cancelled meetings have come at an opportune time.

2.28PM
Wed 6th Jan 2021

Rory Cleary

There probably haven’t been too many jockeys who rode in their first ever National Hunt races as professionals at the age of 33 but I won’t be making a full-time conversion from the Flat game.

4.16PM
Thu 31st Dec 2020

Denis O'Regan

What has been a good season so far continued nicely during the past week, and to have a big winner at Leopardstown and a Grade 2 at Limerick on what look to be nice horses was brilliant.

1.01PM
Sat 26th Dec 2020

Rachael discusses her rides at Leopardstown on Sunday

Rachael has six rides to look forward to at Leopardstown on Sunday. Below she’s shares her thoughts on the prospects for each mount.

9.07PM
Thu 24th Dec 2020

Matthew Smith

I know it has been a tough time for people with Covid-19 and it is worrying now again but I have to say we have been flat out since racing resumed in June. You couldn’t ask to be in a better place in these times than out on the gallops.

8.58PM
Sat 19th Dec 2020

Allbarone enjoys the softer ground

BetVictor Brand Ambassador Rachael Blackmore rode the impressive Bob Olinger to victory at Navan on Friday. Henry De Bromhead’s charge is fancied to have a big season as he competes at the very top of the novice hurdle division.

9.08PM
Thu 17th Dec 2020

Patrick O'Callaghan

As general manager of Limerick Racecourse, I am looking forward to our Christmas Festival immensely, and what a way for it to kick off with the Matchbook Betting Exchange Faugheen Novice Chase which is in its third year now as a Grade 1.

4.22PM
Fri 11th Dec 2020

Thrilled Captain Guinness got off the mark over fences

After another busy week it seems strange to have a rare Sunday with no jumps action, that said it will be a nice chance to catch my breath ahead of what should hopefully be a very busy Christmas time with plenty of big name horses that I am lucky enough to be able to look forward to riding.

9.37PM
Thu 10th Dec 2020

Patrick Mullins

This has been a good time of the year for me and it will be hard to replicate the Christmas I had last year, when I was lucky enough to have the chance to win Grade 1s on Faugheen in the Matchbook Betting Exchange Novice Chase at Limerick and Sharjah, repeating our Matheson Hurdle success of 12 months previously.

4.25PM
Fri 4th Dec 2020

I can't wait to ride Captain Guinness again on Sunday

It has been another successful week for BetVictor ambassador Rachael Blackmore and she reflects on that here as well as looking ahead to an extensive book of rides at Navan and Punchestown this weekend.

6.45PM
Marin Hassett

Martin Hassett

3.26PM

Fri 27th Nov 2020

I absolutely love riding Honeysuckle

BetVictor Brand Ambassador Rachael Blackmore arrives into the weekend with spirits still high after last week’s win on Minella Indo. It was a lovely jumping performance and it looks like the next stop could be the Savills Chase over Christmas before a tilt at the Cheltenham Gold Cup in March.

6.17PM
A delighted Rachael Blackmore after winning at Cheltenham on Honeysuckle

Kenny Alexander

3.38PM

Fri 20th Nov 2020

I can't wait to get back on Minella Indo on Sunday

BetVictor Brand Ambassador Rachael Blackmore looks set to have a very busy weekend with five rides at Naas on Saturday and another five rides on the BetVictor sponsored card at Navan on Sunday. The rider shares her thoughts on each mount here:

8.37PM
Robbie Power and Lostintranslation

Robbie Power

11.48AM

Fri 13th Nov 2020

I'm really looking forward to this weekend at Punchestown

Safe to say it's going to be a busy weekend and Saturday I have five rides at Punchestown that I am really looking forward to.

7.54PM
Sean O'keeffe

Sean O'Keeffe

2.57PM

Fri 6th Nov 2020

Great day's racing in store at Navan

Navan this Sunday looks set to be a fantastic day racing. It's a galloping track with a stiff finish, horses have to be tough to win around here.

7.36PM
Finny Maguire

Finny Maguire

9.47AM

Fri 30th Oct 2020

Great to have Minella Indo and Aspire Tower back on the track this week

It’s been a busy week but a good week. Minella Indo gave me a great spin at Wexford, if it wasn’t for my mask you would have seen me smiling broadly as we pulled up. He could be out again next month in the Grade Two at Navan which BetVictor sponsor but wherever he goes he is one you would really be looking forward to.

6.38PM
Simon Torrens

Simon Torrens

11.20AM

Fri 23rd Oct 2020

Tough time for Ireland moving to Level 5 but thankfully racing stays going

It’s been a tough week for a lot of people in our country with us moving to level 5 restrictions. There’s a massive amount of credit due to everyone involved in our industry for keeping racing going under a very strict set of protocols. Our Senior Medical Officer Jennifer Pugh has done incredible work and the whole weighing room is very grateful to her.

5.53PM
jack and Rock Chica jump the last hurdle at Tipperary

Jack Foley

9.26AM

Fri 16th Oct 2020

Henry's horses are in great form

So, it's been a good week having had 5 winners. Henry's horses are firing at the moment and it's great to be part of it. It was also special for me to ride a winner for Arthur Moore. I used to ride out for him when I was at UCD. On refection, I think the combination of riding out there and visiting nightclubs in Dublin are possibly the reason why I failed my exams!

8.48PM
Siobhan after riding her first winner aboard Magi Gal at Navan last year

Siobhán Rutledge

10.13AM

Fri 9th Oct 2020

Looking ahead to this weekend's racing

It was great to get Ask Cory’s head in front at Killarney on Monday. It was a first winner for the owners, so obviously a really special day for them. He travelled and jumped much better than the last day at Downpatrick to land his first win after knocking on the door a few times.

5.03PM
Thu 8th Oct 2020

Jody Townend

It was mighty watching Princess Zoe power up the straight in Longchamp under Joey Sheridan to win the Group 1 Prix du Cadran for Tony Mullins, Paddy Kehoe and Philomena Crampton.

11.54AM
Mon 5th Oct 2020

irishracing.com update

For the first time, since its inception 30 years ago, Irishracing.com is no longer a part of the Irish Times Group. The website which began with basic Irish racing fixture information and race cards under the domain name irish-racing.com has developed over the years into the resource you see today.

8.40AM
Fri 2nd Oct 2020

Lorna Fowler

We were delighted to see Colonel Mustard get off the mark at the second attempt in Wednesday’s bumper at Punchestown in such good style, winning by four and a half lengths. It’s a good boost as Lady Heath contests the Listed mares’ bumper at Gowran Park this evening (Friday).

12.44PM
Sun 27th Sep 2020

Sorry About That Chief

I have Writers Block on my mind. If you don't remember, Writers Block was a 50-1 no-hoper in an amateur rider's race at Leopardstown seven years ago. His rider bounced him out, secured a distance lead by halfway and the opposition never got close. The five riders that let him off each got four days for \"not taking reasonable measures to give their horses every opportunity of winning.\" Things have changed since then judged by Costalotmore's win at Listowel.

9.50PM
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