HRI - Horse Racing Ireland

diomed

MISSION STATEMENT - To Develop and Promote Ireland as a World Centre of Excellence for Horse Racing and Breeding

I think HRI are too focused on the top of racing and are showing less concern for racegoers, small trainers, and breeders.

HRI doubtful moves/attitudes (in my opinion)
Submission to the government to increase betting tax (rejected).
Sale of television rights to bidder that will reduce TV viewing for many.
HRI response to decreasing trainer numbers ""There's a number of very big owners in Ireland and they're hard to compete with, but that's a good thing for Irish racing."

I would prefer they had a MISSION STATEMENT - To support horse racing and breeding in Ireland

Forget about the world and about the excellence. Don't ignore the grass roots.

famagusta

Denis Coakley wrote an excellent article in the Irish field about a month or so ago about how important grass roots are. I'll see can I find it. It's well worth a read

BumperD

Tricky one. Results on course and in breeding suggest they are meeting those aims. Though I acknowledge at a cost to smaller operators

diomed

Crisis?

From today's Racing Post

Charles Byrne, trainer
"We’re all losing money training horses. It’s a loss-making business and you’d need a winner or two like that."
“Unless you have the big numbers it’s almost impossible. We’ve been doing well enough since Christmas and if we keep tipping away hopefully we’ll have over 20 winners in the season, which won’t be too bad.”

Byrnes’s comments come in the same week that the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board revealed that, for the first time in a decade, fewer than 100 people hold full jumps licences in Ireland and that only one applicant for the upcoming trainer’s course had been received.

famagusta

famagusta wrote: »

Denis Coakley wrote an excellent article in the Irish field about a month or so ago about how important grass roots are. I'll see can I find it. It's well worth a read

Here:

https://www.theirishfield.ie/opinion-dont-turn-out-the-lights-on-small-owners-338801/

have a read of this, he makes a lot of very good points. read it if ye can

diomed

Thanks for posting the link to the article.
I remember reading that article in The Irish Field (paper version) a few weeks ago.

He is right. HRI are all for the big money players.
Nearly all of the NH prizemoney goes to three or four owners.
The same on the flat. One owner wins anything worth winning.
There should be a limit of three horses from the same connections in any race.

I am sick of reading about the comments from the HRI top brass.
They are an attack on ordinary racegoers, owners, and trainers imo.

diomed

This extract from the article might explain the last of spectator interest in Irish racing.

"Michael O’Leary might have over 200 horses in training but he has only one family to bring to the races. The 200 horses that compete in the 45-65 division could have over a thousand people connected to them. Indeed, many are owned by syndicates."

Bouncy castles and best dressed lady is no help.

famagusta

diomed wrote:

"Michael O’Leary might have over 200 horses in training but he has only one family to bring to the races. The 200 horses that compete in the 45-65 division could have over a thousand people connected to them. Indeed, many are owned by syndicates."

That sums it up perfectly. I have had a runner as part of a small syndicate in about 70 or so races at this stage. Every day we go racing there is a minimum of ten of us.

Gavin "shels"

Not sure if Denis Coakley mentioned in his article - but he had some good stats on Twitter today.

https://twitter.com/deniscoakley11/status/967865488683470853

diomed

A few minutes ago I sent an e-mail to the editor of The Irish Field, Leo Powell.

Leo,
On page A6 there is an article headed “Where were the keyboard warriors?” by Niall Cronin.
This article comments on the poor turnout to the HRI ROADSHOW held at four locations.
(I am leaving out the body of my e-mail as it listed posts by me, diomed, in this and other threads, and the text of an e-mail I sent to the Pat Kenny show commenting on his interview with Brian Kavanagh who was on the radio show proposing (unopposed) an increase in betting tax.)).

My e-mail concluded with
The words “keyboard warriors” in that article was a slur on valid comment by horse racing supporters and a big own-goal by The Irish Field.
You are suggesting that people posting on the internet are uninformed and are hiding behind a username.
If you wish you can post all of this e-mail in your newspaper.

If I was in error it was stating that Brian Kavanagh wanted the government to increase betting tax from 1% to 2%.
This is probably the correct position
“Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) suggested that the 1% betting tax be increased to 2.5%, and the duty on betting intermediaries should be increased from 15% of the commission to 37.5%.”

Why not emphasise in your newspaper that Brian Kavanagh and HRI have reduced Irish racing to two NH owners and one flat owner, to two NH trainers and one flat trainer?
And you could also state that Brian Kavanagh wanted to massively increase betting tax to pay for the administration of racing and is still campaigning to increase betting.
No sensible person would attend the HRI roadshow where an individual would be facing a top table of HRI staffers working to support their groupthink.

Imhof Tank

That's the sort of letter they often do publish Diomed. Interesting.

BumperD

The fact they had a pop at you speaks to their failed roadshows and own insecurities

RoyalAcademy2

The relevant sections of Niall Cronin's articles pertaining to diomed's subsequent email were:
However, considering the problems facing Irish racing and the opportunity to put questions directly to HRI chief executive Brian Kavanagh and others, it was surprising that some of the roadshows did not attract more people.

Given how quick some are to make their feelings known on the running of Irish racing via social media, it was quite surprising to see so few people in attendance. There is still an opportunity to have your ideas heard by email.

I attended one of the events and it was populated by many with a vested interest in the game. There were few questions to the top table that raised anything of a controversial or topical nature. I asked questions on bookmakers' sponsorship of individual trainers and jockeys, the lack of performance related criteria evident in the management of racecourses and queried if a strong TV audience ultimately was bad for on-course racing. I have to say that I was reasonably happy with the replies and hope that they are part of the new strategy to be unveiled.

Whilst I also dislike the provocative use of "keyboard warriors" it is valid to ask where the critics were because they hardly turned up at all at any venue. My own view is that we need far greater ownership involvement and racecourse attendance to bring the sport back to its best. Over-exposure on TV, over-concentration on betting (pushed all the time by bookmakers) and the dominance of the few is not at all healthy. I also think the general industry does not "get" this and lip service is paid by the "I'm alright Jacks" doing well in a variety of sectors.

diomed

In The Irish Field, Saturday, May 26.

New HRI boss to shape plans
Nicky Hartery ... his appointment was confirmed on Thursday.
Hartery is chairman of Cement Roadstone Holdings, one of Ireland's biggest publicly-quotes companies, and he is also chairman of the Musgrave group, which controls Centra and SuperValu retail brands.

It reads like he has a lot of time on his hands and is an ideal chairman to look after the small man. :rolleyes: