HRI To Introduce New Measures For Next Season The Board of Horse Racing Ireland agreed a number of measures at its meeting on Tuesday 27th July 2004 to advance the following objectives in relation to Flat race programmes:-? To reduce significantly the number of horses at the bottom end of the flat rating scale. ? To address the problem of excessive eliminations in low-grade Flat Handicaps. ? To improve the competitiveness, quality and appeal of these events by introducing a further merit-based element in the balloting system.Quality Control Measures Any horse with a Flat rating of 35 or less at the end of the 2004 season will no longer be qualified to run in Flat races in Ireland. For 2005, the minimum Flat ratings off which horses will be allowed to run will increase to 45 for 2 year olds (from 40), 40 for 3 year olds (from 37) and 36 for 4 year olds and upwards (from 33). Any horse rated 36 which runs unplaced on three consecutive outings next year will become ineligible to run in Flat races in Ireland. Further increases in the minimum ratings will be introduced as required for the 2006 season.Additional Programming and Balloting Measures From 2005 horses with recent placed form will be given first protection in low-grade Flat Handicaps where random balloting currently applies.There will be a re-allocation of the current low grade Flat Handicaps to provide more opportunities at distances of a mile and below for flat rather than dual-purpose horses.Horses rated below 50 will be precluded from running in weight-for-age Maiden and Conditions races. Additional auction and median auction races will be programmed to encourage investment in yearlings. Prize Money It is recognised that adjustments will have to be made to some of the prize money levels to fund the eight extra meetings in the 2005 fixture list and that lower grade Handicaps will see their minimum values reduced under both codes.National Hunt Racing An exercise will now be undertaken to consider the introduction of some similar measures for National Hunt racing (against an improving balloting situation) including an evaluation of minimum ratings, restrictions in Maiden races and a greater merit-based element in low-grade (i.e. 70-102 or lower) Handicaps.Announcing the new measures HRI´s Director of Racing Jason Morris commented: - 'HRI´s Strategic Plan for the Industry contains a commitment to improve the quality of the racing product. The measures which we introduced for National Hunt racing last year have been successful in improving the balloting situation. The Board anticipates that the measures announced today will increase the competitiveness of Flat racing and improve the racing experience for the race going public.'
