THE rumour mill thrives in Ireland like nowhere else. Last week I heard ‘on the grapevine’ that the nearly completed stand at the new-look Curragh racecourse had failed a stress test. A call to the Curragh CEO Derek McGrath put that firmly to bed.

“There may be some cases of stress about, but the stand is tip-top,” he assured me. I then put in a request for a site visit to see how work was progressing, and on Wednesday morning, as the Curragh and the surrounds was bathed in sunshine, my wish was granted. Derek took me on an exhaustive, and exhausting, tour of every nook and cranny in the new stand.

For months now the new structure has been rising higher and higher, and with some six weeks to go before racing recommences the four-story stand is heading into the last couple of furlongs. This has been a long-distance race, but all the elements are now coming together as the unveiling is imminent.

Yes, the venue is to all intents and purposes still a building site, but within it you can see the new stand proudly waiting to emerge in all its glory. Light and space are two words that immediately came to mind as I started on level zero, having approached on foot and come in by the new entrance.

The main concourse area for racegoers offers lots of choice and all within easy reach, whether it is betting facilities, food choices, bars and coffee docks, and the all-important restrooms. Comfort is very much to the fore in the plans for this area and this is all available just yards from the newly enlarged parade ring.

No matter where you are on the new racecourse, you are just steps away from being able to view the parade ring activities and the vast expanse of the racecourse and the Curragh plains beyond. The design of the new grandstand allows for unimpeded views of the racecourse, and with some 1,600 seats available racegoers will be able to see all the action in more comfort than ever before.

Membership will be limited in the first year to allow the racecourse to assess the usage made of the facilities on offer, and this careful approach is being adopted throughout. Better to build these numbers up when you know everything works well rather than overstretch facilities at the beginning.

Derek McGrath is a realist and knows that no amount of pre-planning can cover every eventuality. However, he and his team are adopting the stance of being listeners. “When we had temporary facilities we were only able to patch over cracks in the system, knowing all the time that we were in the process of providing a permanent, world-class facility. Now anything we do is for the long-term,” he told me on my guided tour. Think of it like a snag list for your own home – there are always minor things that need ironing out.

As the weeks count down to what will be a soft launch when racing returns on April 13th, and with the cushion of a second one-day meeting on May 6th, the first full test of the facilities will be at the three-day Tattersalls Guineas Festival meeting from Friday May 24th to Sunday 26th. By then the facility will be working at full steam.

Ireland has long needed a world-class stadium for our classic races. It will shortly unveil a modern, blended, user-friendly Curragh that will bring Irish racing roaring into the 21st century. Horses and people will be properly accommodated – and you will not have long to wait to experience it yourself.