THE Tattersalls sponsored Auction Maiden Hurdle Series, initiated to give opportunities for the less expensive horses, has its first race at the Listowel Festival.
The races are each worth €20,000, are confined to four, five and six-year-old geldings and mares that have been sold as three or four year-olds in a recognised store sale in Ireland or in Britain.
Each race is confined to horses that have cost no more than €30,000 as a store and have not won any race under rules or a point-to-point.
Runners in this Tattersalls Ireland/EBF Auction Maiden Hurdle Series will also have allowances according to their sales price and age.
Any mare that has been nominated for the ITBA National Hunt Mares scheme, and who wins one of the above two mares’ only races, will also receive a €5,000 bonus from the ITBA.
The prize money for each race is as follows:
1st €12,500
2nd €4,000
3rd €2,000
4th €1,000
5th €500
Doumen retires
ONE of the finest dual-purpose trainers of recent years, Francois Doumen has announced his retirement. Doumen will be remembered in Britain and Ireland for the exploits of crack jumpers such as Baracouda (ridden by his son Thierry), First Gold and The Fellow.
Doumen was also successful at Group 1 level on the flat with Hong Kong and Dubai hero Jim And Tonic.
Doumen first came to notice in Britain came when Nupsala sprang a 25/1 shock when beating Desert Orchid in the 1987 King George at Kempton – a race Doumen would win four more times.
Lisronagh point
THE Tipperary Foxhounds autumn PTP fixture at Lisronagh on Sunday 29th October, has been rescheduled to Saturday, October 28th.
In-foal mare stolen
A BREEDER had a thoroughbred mare taken from his field between 6pm on Wednesday night and 9am on Friday morning and is asking readers to be extra vigilant in the care of their stock. The theft took place from a field on the Mountrath Road, Clonkeen, Portlaoise in full sight of the road, and an April foal at foot was left behind, traumatised but well.
The in-foal mare is a 10-year old bay, 16 2hh, dark brown in colour with specks of white on the nose and a couple of white socks, and she is chipped. Her owner reported that he would usually check her every day but was at a family occasion on Thursday. Contact Portlaoise Garda Station on 057 86 74100 or the Garda confidential number at 1800 666111 with any information.
Corcoran leaves Paddy Power Betfair
BREON Corcoran has announced he will leave his position as chief executive of Paddy Power Betfair in the next 12 months. He will be succeeded by Peter Jackson, chief executive of Worldpay, and already an independent board member at PPB.
PPB released positive six-month results with 22% increase of operating profit to €199 million. However, the news of Corcoran’s departure resulted in a 5% drop in the group’s share price. Corcoran, has decided to pursue interests in a different industry. oversaw the merger between Paddy Power and Betfair last year.