DOWNPATRICK Racecourse manager Richard Lyttle has responded to a claim for The Irish Field's Simon Rowlands that some race distances at the October 14th Downpatrick meeting were inaccurate.

Writing in The Irish Field on October 22nd, Rowlands stated that there was a difference of up to 300 yards between the first two hurdle races on the card when the racecard said there should only be a 98-yard differential.

Rowlands said this was not an isolated case in Irish racing but an easily detectable one.

Lyttle said: "Simon Rowlands makes a valid point and we would like to thank him for his comment. In terms of the race conditions, as they are laid out, the word ‘about’ always prefixes any race distance (ie, 2m 2f and about 50 yards’). Variables can of course happen at any racecourse depending on whether an inside or outside track is in use.

"Similarly ground conditions on the actual raceday can also present the need for such changes - the movement of running rail to present a better racing line or surface for horses, to avoid pockets of wet ground or indeed to avoid the close proximity of racing obstacles such as a chase fences or hurdles should they cause incumberance if sited particularly close to a specific start.

"We respect the need to present factually correct racing distances or make advance announcements if a change is deemed necessary to alter a distance for whatever reason.

"In fairness the Turf Club is encouraging the tracks to remeasure the distances of all of their races. Over the winter months, during our recess we plan to do just that in readiness for our race programme for 2017.

"On a positive and very exciting note Downpatrick is delighted to report that it has recently acquired adjoining lands to the racecourse and has significant plans to widen the entirety of its racetrack over the next number of years."