HRI bids to increase field sizes A number of measures are to be introduced from Monday with the aim of improving field sizes and with it the competitiveness of racing. For a three-month trial period, every weight-for-age race where there are less than five declared runners at the 10am declaration time will have an automatic supplementary time period of 15 minutes, during which additional declarations may be made for that race. Such declarations will only be accepted by telephone. No withdrawal of a declaration (including any new declarations made after 10am) may be made within the supplementary time period. Horse Racing Ireland's Racing Administration System (RAS) system will continue to display the number of declared runners for this extended time period. As previously announced, from February 1 for National Hunt racing (and March 20 for the Flat), HRI will change the distribution of prize-money so that placed horses will receive a greater percentage of prize-money (second-placed horses 20 per cent, third-placed horses 10 per cent and fourth-placed horses five per cent - compared to the current percentages of 17 per cent, eight per cent and five per cent respectively). Prize-money will also be extended from four to five places in all races (the fifth horse to receive 2.5 per cent) and to six places in all races with a value of €40,000 or more. HRI Director of Racing Jason Morris said: "HRI are introducing these measures with the aim of attracting more runners in races which might have historically struggled with small fields and also in attempt to increase the percentage of horses which win prize-money. "The 15-minute extension to the declaration deadline for weight-for-age races which have attracted less than five initial declarations will be trialled for a three month period to see whether it has a beneficial impact upon field sizes. "This change should not have any material impact upon the timing of the release of declarations information. An increase to five or more runners in a race has a very positive impact on betting turnover since it allows for each-way betting. "HRI are always striving to improve the competitiveness of Irish racing, notwithstanding the fact that our average field sizes (at 10.73 in 2015) are approximately two runners per race higher than in Britain. "We intend to conduct a similar trial in relation to an extension in the entry deadline (for races with smaller initial entries) later in the year."
