RACING: Talks to avert a withdrawal of services by racecourse doctors on January 1st broke up last night with both sides set to continue negotiations today.

The Association of Irish Racecourses and the Irish Medical Organisation who are negotiating for the Racecourse Medical Officers met in the Ambassador Hotel in Kill but a full day's discussion didn't result in a settlement of the dispute over contracts, conditions and pay.

Paddy Walsh, the chief executive of the AIR, said afterwards: "There is nothing to report as yet but we are hoping to resume tomorrow. It is a delicate situation but the fact we are meeting again is indicative I think that things are progressing."

A total of 65 of the 84 active members of the RMOA have handed in their resignations to the AIR who pay the medical personnel to cover race meetings.

At least two doctors have to attend a fixture for it to go ahead. The RMOA chairman, Dr David Molony, said: "The discussions were long but the situation is essentially unchanged. There will be further contact tomorrow between the IMO and the facilitator."

That facilitator is the HRI board member and former Union official Eddie Browne.

last week the Horse Racing Ireland chief executive Brian Kavanagh expressed the view that most of the issues between the two sides had been addressed except for pay. That opinion has been criticised by Molony who said the dispute is primarily about work practices and the future of medical care on racecourses.