Free admission at the Curragh

There is free admission at the Curragh on Sunday for adults who bring children to the races. Big race sponsor Keeneland and the Curragh have undertaken various initiatives to enhance the afternoon for families and the Keeneland Kids Zone will offer activities for children plus live music throughout the day.

Stallion moves

Turkish stud farm Sanstable has secured Lilbourne Lad for covering duties in 2017. The son of Acclamation will join Approve (by Oasis Dream) at the Istanbul stud. Lilbourne Lad was a Group 2 winner on the track and stood at Rathbarry Stud. He finished third in the European first crop sires table last season in terms of individual winners.

Insurance plan well received

Andrew Coonan, head of the Jockeys Association, reports a very positive response to the introduction of a free insurance scheme, in case of career-ending injury, for professional riders. The policy has been sponsored by the Stobart group for a three-year period and jockeys availing of the scheme will wear the Stobart logo on the posterior of their riding breeches. Under the scheme a jockey forced to retire prematurely from race-riding due to injury will receive a maximum payout of €120,000. The payment depends on the number of rides the jockey had in the previous year. Coonan said: “This scheme supplements the Jockeys Accident Fund, which currently provides injured riders with a weekly income for up to 18 months from the date of injury.”

NH breeze-up date confirmed

The Tattersalls Ireland National Hunt Breeze-Up Sale will take place this year alongside racing at Cheltenham on Friday, December 9th.

Free Racing UK

Armchair racing fans can watch subscription channel Racing UK for free today. A one-day free pass can be claimed by calling 0818 776 779 and quoting ‘Free Day Pass’. There are 34 live races on RUK today including action from Ascot, Newmarket and Haydock.

Pride Of Dubai for Coolmore Stud

Dual Group 1-winning two-year-old Pride Of Dubai will reverse shuttle from Australia to Coolmore Stud for the 2017 season. The son of Street Cry out of a blacktype two-year-old by Danehill is the only horse to have landed the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes and the Group 1 Sires’ Produce over six and seven furlongs respectively. “He’s an exceptionally good-looking horse with plenty of size and strength, he was a brilliant two-year-old and his pedigree is all about speed,” said Coolmore’s David O’Loughlin. “He’s by a top class sire in Street Cry, out of a close relative to Invincible Spirit and Kodiac.” A fee will be announced at a later date.