Ireland's first ever all-weather racetrack should be up and running by 2006 after Dundalk yesterday got the green light from the board of Horse Racing Ireland. Brian O'Connor, Racing Correspondent, reports.
Although HRI has put a number of conditions on its proposed €10 million investment, the Co Louth track's executive is satisfied that the project will go ahead.
The Dundalk executive will have to raise €8 million in finance and crowd capacity will have to be expanded. Racing over five furlongs will have to be possible, and the plan will have to be financially viable based on the proposed 25 fixtures.
"I am confident that by working together with HRI, 2006 will see the launch of all-weather racing," said Dundalk chief executive Mr Jim Martin.
The plan is for the new track to hold 25 meetings, broken up into two blocks of 10. One block will be for spring, the other for autumn.
The remaining five fixtures are described as being "high quality cards".
The racing will be held under floodlights on a 10-furlong oval circuit on the site of the old Dundalk racecourse.
Dundalk beat off competition from both Tipperary and a proposed site at Abbotstown for the new facility, which was set out as a priority by HRI in its five-year plan. Tipperary has withdrawn its application and Arena Leisure, which was behind the Abbotstown bid, said it was not in a position to advance its plans.
Significantly, yesterday's HRI board meeting also noted that a new all-weather track could form part of a new long-term development plan at Down Royal.
"Dundalk has emerged as the only site with the potential for the development of all-weather racing within a realistic timescale," said HRI chief executive Mr Brian Kavanagh yesterday.
However, Mr Kavanagh also emphasised that conditions would have to be met for the project to go ahead.
The move is part of HRI's plans to cater for the huge increase in racehorse numbers in Ireland. Four years ago, a total of 851 horses were balloted out of flat races. This year that number has increased by a multiple of six to 5,238.
Racing's ruling body was also keen to dismiss fears that a new track will cater for poor horses with poor prize-money available. It said there will be provisions for better standard competition, up to Listed class.
HRI's original hope was that any all-weather facility would be able to cater for jump racing, but last June that plan was dismissed because of safety concerns.