DEREK McGrath will step down as chief executive of the Curragh Racecourse at the end of this season.
The racecourse boss has been in the post for three years and oversaw the €81 million redevelopment of the new grandstand and facilities from start to finish. However, he has not always enjoyed a smooth relationship with some racing stakeholders who felt they were not sufficiently consulted as the project took shape.
His hands-on management style and the decision-making processes he brought from the world of European rugby were a culture shock for some who worked with him.
In March this year he was overruled by Horse Racing Ireland who insisted that the Curragh was not fully ready to open its doors in April. After the recent Irish Derby meeting the HRI chief executive Brian Kavanagh publicly criticised the perceived failings in customer service on racedays. McGrath also had a rocky rapport with trainers over various aspects of the new facility.
McGrath told The Irish Field: “Having overseen an ambitious redevelopment project that has established a wonderful new racecourse for the benefit of future generations, I have decided that at the end of this season I will leave the task of building the future of the Curragh to others.
Complete transformation
“I joined the Curragh in April 2016 and together we have delivered a complete transformation of the facility and the business. I will leave knowing we have reinvigorated the Curragh and will leave it in a better place, in readiness to build a great future.
“I would like to thank the chairman Padraig McManus, the Board and shareholders of the Curragh Racecourse for their support during the creation of this magnificent facility. I am sure the Curragh Racecourse will go on to have the success it deserves, and it has been a privilege to play a small part in its history.”
A veterinary surgeon by qualification, McGrath came to the Curragh with a strong history of achievement in the sports and leisure sector, most notably as chief executive of European Rugby Cup Ltd from 2000 to 2014.