THE Association of Irish Racehorse Owners [AIRO] represents the interests of racehorse owners on the board of Horse Racing Ireland. We asked AIRO manager Aiden Burns what he is hearing on the ground from members.

What are the most common complaints you received from racehorse owners?

Quite a lot of the feedback I receive is about recognition on racedays. Up until recently most tracks did little as regards refreshments for owners. I’ve had meetings with the Association of Irish Racecourses about it and gradually there has been a big improvement. Leopardstown now has a dedicated lounge where owners sit down to a four-course lunch. Fairyhouse and the Curragh do something similar.

Most racecourses now give a voucher of some value to owners, so the comments I receive are easing off. But there is still a handful of tracks not doing very much.

Car parking is another issue often raised by owners. There should be some spaces reserved for racehorse owners as close to the main entrance as possible.

Why do you think so many owners have left the industry?

There might be several reasons but the biggest one is definitely financial. It’s not the prize money – that comes in for good comments all the time.

But some owners do get fed up when they are paying bills for months without even getting a day out, usually due to injury. Luck has a huge amount to do with it.

What more should be done for existing owners?

A lot of tracks are good enough to bring the winning owners for a celebratory drink. That is appreciated but what about the other owners? They have invested just as much as the winners but may be going home with nothing. That is becoming more of an issue lately. A little bit of recognition on the day would go a long way.

Do you ever receive complaints about training fees, transport costs or other expenses?

The only costs I get feedback on are the entry fees and HRI administration costs. I have to acknowledge that HRI has reduced these costs marginally in recent years and there are moves to make the paperwork similar. We would like to see these areas improved again.