HORSE Racing Ireland will carry out a review of the new starting price calculation system later this month.

With no bookmakers on-course during racing behind closed doors, starting prices are being calculated solely based on an average of prices being by the major off-course chains.

Pat Brennan, racing services manager with HRI, commented: “We use as wide a sample as possible and, in the case of companies with multiple sportsbooks, such as Paddy Power and Betfair, or Ladbrokes and Coral, just one feed per company is used.

“From our point of view, it is working well. We are due to carry out a review in conjunction with the Starting Price Regulatory Commission in Britain once we have a month’s racing completed. But we have been monitoring the prices and there have been no major concerns, and I believe that is also the case in Britain.”

Brennan said he was aware of one anomaly on the final day of Royal Ascot when the Irish runner Sceptical was 2/1 with most bookmakers even though he was available at 7/2 on the exchanges.

“I believe the price disparity was due to the potential liabilities the off-course bookmakers were facing, following a Frankie Dettori treble earlier in the day.”

A quick look at the overrounds for some of this week’s midweek racing in Britain and Ireland indicates that the typical SP on Irish races equates to a 120% book, while in Britain the typical figure is closer to 115%.

Brennan said: “We will look at that, as part of the review. We did have a review in May, following the small number of meetings held behind closed doors in March, and I know that the Horseracing Bettors Forum were happy with the transparency and accuracy of the prices. I am not aware of any uproar from punters on either side of the Irish Sea in the meantime.”