RACING:THE MINISTER for Agriculture, Food and Marine, Simon Coveney, has stressed Irish racing has nothing to fear from the upcoming review group, which will examine the sport's administration in the coming months.
The Minister revealed last month he is setting up the group and said it was important to examine how racing is governed in Ireland. He was speaking at Saturday night’s prestigious Moyglare Stud dinner at the K Club where he was guest of honour.
“Nobody involved in the industry should feel threatened by the review. It is incumbent on us to question the status quo and question if the structures in place are appropriate,” Coveney said.
Commenting on the Turf Club’s big international reputation in world racing, he also said racing as an industry in Ireland is often misunderstood but pointed to the Moyglare Stud, which celebrates its 50th year in 2012, as an example of valuable foreign investment in this country.
During the Turf Club organised event, a presentation was also made to the Galway race committee to honour its contribution to racing in Ireland. The presentation was made by the minister and the ex-senior steward John McStay.
McStay described Galway as the “home of racing records” and pointed to the 46,000 attendance on Galway Hurdle day in 2006 as a modern day record crowd on an Irish racecourse – 217,000 attended the seven-day summer festival in that year.
Moyglare also announced a €50,000 bonus fund for the year ahead where breeders of the winners of certain races will receive a €1,000 bonus from the Maynooth-based stud.
