Horse Racing Ireland To Fund New Starting Stalls Horse Racing Ireland is to fund the purchase of a new set of starting stalls to replace those that caused problems at Galway last week.Two individual stalls failed to open on Friday night, while one stall opened late at Saturday's meeting. This resulted in Sunday's flat races being started by tape, causing criticism from some trainers.Uneven ground and horses bumping the sides of the stalls is thought to have been the problem on Friday and Saturday.The stalls in question were introduced into Ireland almost twenty years ago but they have been updated and modernised since.The new set of starting stalls are being manufactured in Italy and will have one significant advantage over the old stalls ? horses will not have to be loaded in draw order.Pat Walshe, who is in charge of the starting stalls operation, said: 'The reason we went to Italy is because the stalls were ?100,000 less than the prices quoted over here, and they will be ready in mid-September.'We will take them to The Curragh when they arrive, have tests with them there and then everyone can see how they work.'The portable stalls used at Galway are used at most Irish courses but The Curragh, Leopardstown, Naas and Navan have their own stalls.
