‘I think there needs to be accountability’ - Vincent Finegan questions decision to water down Derby Day card Horse Racing Ireland faces calls to intervene after the Curragh's Irish Derby card was restructured around international betting demands, with critics arguing the sport's flagship event has been compromised for commercial gain. The Derby Day programme featured six handicaps out of nine races, with the Railway Stakes moved to next month's Oaks card to accommodate World Pool requirements for larger field sizes preferred by Hong Kong bettors. While the arrangement generated over €600,000 in additional media rights revenue for the Curragh, critics argue HRI, as a taxpayer-funded body, should protect heritage meetings from purely commercial decisions. 'You've Got To Pick Out The Things That Are Wrong' “I think there has to be accountability. That is the bottom line here,” argued Vincent Finegan on irishracing.com’s YouTube show The Irish Angle. “We've got a sport here where taxpayers are putting in €80 million a year into this sport and we pay for all the administration, all the regulation and about 60% of the prize money. We also do all the capital development, building new stands and everything else. So the new Curragh wouldn't be there without the three of us and the rest of the people watching this show who are putting their tax money into it. “So there has to be accountability for that money, and it has to be spent properly - that's the bottom line from my side of it. “Look we know it's a great sport we all love it to bits, that's that's why we're here on this show, because we love horse racing that's what it's all about, and everyone watching is the same “But at the same time you've got to pick out the things that are wrong in it and there are a lot of things wrong and to just keep singing from that hymn sheet: ‘oh it's all wonderful here, don't look at the bad things and we'll hide them all under the carpet and don't let people know about the bad things that are going on’. “That's not the way to go forward, in my opinion They need to be able to look at what's being done, why it's been done and analyse it.” Derby Day Needs To Be Protected The criticism centres on HRI's remit to promote the sport and increase attendances using its €80 million annual government funding, with the watered-down Derby programme seen as counterproductive to these goals. Finegan also suggests flagship meetings should receive special protection, allowing commercial flexibility for smaller venues while preserving the integrity of racing's most prestigious events. Watch This Week's Irish Angle on YouTube:
