IRISH RACING/News and Previews: Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) announced yesterday they will pay a travel allowance of €1,000 to any overseas runner who finishes out of the money in black type races in this country.
The move starts immediately and will cover the 94 flat and 113 National Hunt black type races that are run annually in Ireland.
"This incentive should encourage greater overseas participation in Ireland's major races," the HRI director of racing, Jason Morris, said.
"Increased international competition will add to the quality of our races and provide extra excitement for racegoers."
Other news yesterday centred on the appointment of Michael Osborne as chairman of the new managing company at Punchestown.
The new company, called Punchestown Holdings Ltd, is run on a 50/50 basis between HRI and the Kildare Hunt Club.
Racing's ruling body has also approved the nominations of Roy Craigie, Dick O'Sullivan, Brian Kavanagh and Mary Moore to the board.
Osborne's appointment means he will step down as chairman of the fixtures and programmes committees, where he will be replaced by Roy Craigie.
Consequently Craigie steps down as chairman of Navan racecourse, to be replaced by William Flood.
