Kieren Kelly anniversary
AN anniversary mass for jump jockey Kieran Kelly will be celebrated in Derrinturn, Carbury, Co Kildare, on Tuesday week, August 15th at 7.30pm. Kilbeggan hosts a race on Saturday, August 12th in memory of the rider who died in 2003.
David Power
invests in Curragh
BOOKMAKER David Power has invested €700,000 in the Curragh Racecourse development project.
According to accounts filed by the racecourse company, Power acquired 3,000 economic shares for his investment.
When plans for the €70 million redevelopment were announced in 2015, a list of seven private investors was published and they held 33.3% of the new racecourse company, with the remaining equity shared between Horse Racing Ireland and the Turf Club.
The original private investors were the Aga Khan, Eva-Maria Bucher Haefner, Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith, John Magnier, Godolphin Ireland and J.P. McManus. It is believed that Power’s shares will come from the other private investors, whose level of investment will not diminish.
Profits jump at the Irish National Stud
PROFITS at the Irish National Stud jumped by 56% in 2016 to €3.9 million. Total income rose to €10.6 million, helped largely by star stallion Invincible Spirit whose 2016 fee was €120,000. The stud has 38 broodmares and also offers a boarding and foaling service for clients. There were 263 live foals born in 2016.
The stud’s Japanese Gardens and tourist centre attracted 124,000 people last year and €1.2 million in income,
Cathal Beale took over from John Osborne as the stud’s chief executive last month.
Trainer fined over inspection
SLIGO trainer Mark McNiff, who had a Galway winner with Andratx this week, was fined €1,000 and received a severe caution from the Referrals Committee this week.
The trainer was found in breach of a number of rules during a stable inspection carried out last October.
The offences included having riders not wearing body protectors, failure to display the stable employees bonus scheme, not maintaining the veterinary medicines register and having two unregistered staff riding out.
McNiff accepted he was in breach of the relevant rules and outlined the steps he has now taken to ensure that there will be no recurrence of the problems
Colour run next Friday at Tipperary
CAN you run, or even walk, one furlong?
Tipperary Racecourse is staging a special fun run over that distance after racing next Friday (August 11th). All are welcome but, be warned, participants will be pelted with powder paint from start to finish.
The ‘colour run’ raised a massive €70,000 last year for Pieta House and the Circle of Friends Cancer Support Centre. Sponsorship cards are available from Tipperary Racecourse, Pieta House, Circle of Friends Cancer Support Centre in Tipperary town, or by registering online.
The event is expected to take place at 8.30pm and will be followed by live music from Riptide Movement.
tippcolourrun.com
Appeal success
JOCKEY and trainer Denis Hogan has had a three-day whip ban reduced to one day on appeal. Hogan picked up the penalty at Kilbeggan on July 21st.
He accepted he was in breach of the relevant rules but felt that the penalty was too severe, as he had a clean record in the previous nine months.
Hogan, who was represented by Andrew Coonan, served his ban yesterday.