Since the 2017 fixture list was announced there has been a huge sense of excitement and anticipation among the staff and directors. We have firmly believed for many years that we were capable of operating at a higher level. We have expanded our staff in recent months and to date we are very proud of what has been achieved.”

Naas manager Tom Ryan and his team are in the throes of a busy year of racing, including having the honour of starting and finishing the Irish flat season on the turf. This week Tom told me more about happenings at the Co Kildare venue.

“Individually and collectively we enjoy pushing the boundaries of what is possible. We look forward to the remainder of the flat season, while the planning required to deliver further improvements for 2018 will begin soon.

“Our first aim during the 2017 and 2018 seasons is to show the industry that Naas can perform as a top-tier flat track. We believe we are well on our way to doing so. When the Phoenix Park closed a top-tier flat track was lost. Perhaps there is a need for another track to operate at that top-tier level.

“We expect the Curragh races [transferred to Naas] to return home once their building project is complete, but I would hope the industry will see fit to continue the development of the Naas programme, a process that has been naturally developing for a number of years now.”

With a decade at Naas under his belt, Tom is still hugely motivated. “From an organisational point of view we have a staff and board that are continually seeking ways to improve and evolve. While the improvements we have delivered are considerable, we don’t have a habit of dwelling on them. It is all about the next race meeting and the next project.

“We are now concentrating on significantly improving the on-course customer experience. Some €3.5 million will be spent completely transforming all customer facing areas, including the completion of a new feature building next to the parade ring and an interior upgrade of all other existing buildings.”

Tom is also hungry for more race dates. “During 2005 and 2006 Naas completed a major track widening project, passed fit by the Turf Club for racing during the middle of 2007. Unfortunately that 30 acres of racing ground has remained largely unused. It is very important to remind everybody that Naas continues to be significantly underutilised. We have in excess of 70 acres of racing ground and have the capacity to cater for many more meetings. To see the track so underutilised has been a particular frustration.”

Is the mix of flat and National Hunt racing important at Naas? Tom explains: “National Hunt racing continues to be very popular among a large proportion of our customers. While there has been an increased focus on flat racing in recent seasons, Naas’s status as one of the best National Hunt tracks in the country remains. Our January to March schedule is particularly important, all the stars of National Hunt racing usually use Naas to prepare for the spring festivals. The likes of Annie Power, Don Cossack and Sizing John have all won at Naas on their way to Cheltenham glory.

What of the future at Naas? Tom is confident. “Under the stewardship of the current board the commitment to the future of Naas Racecourse has never been stronger. Together with HRI and other stakeholders, racecourses are increasingly committing resources to marketing and sales activity. Our commitment in this regard has seen a steady increase in attendances. Once we have our facilities to the desired standard we expect this trend to be more pronounced.”