WEATHERBYS is the latest to join the list of sponsors at Naas on Sunday week. They have added their name to the Weatherbys GSB Premier Handicap on a card that features the first running of the valuable Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes. The racecourse is only a furlong or two from the Weatherbys office and the firm has sponsored there for many years.

Weatherbys Ireland general manager Sharon O’Regan commented: “We view this sponsorship as support for the whole industry which is understandably under a great deal of pressure in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. It will sit alongside our other race sponsorships headlined by the Weatherbys Ireland Greenland Stakes and the very popular Weatherbys ITBA National Hunt Fillies Bonus Scheme.”

Weatherbys has been looking to support everyone working in the industry on a practical level and an example was the introduction of the Vaccination App. In light of the coronavirus pandemic it became necessary to change operations on racedays to make things safer and as efficient as possible for all involved. Weatherbys developed the App to allow for digitally approved vaccinations and pre-clearance measures ahead of raceday and this is now fully operational in Ireland and Britain.

Sharon O’Regan said: “The Vaccination App is the first component of the E-Passport which will become the digital lifetime document for horse and encompass traceability, welfare, biosecurity and whole herd health from cradle to grave for the thoroughbred and non-thoroughbred.”

Publish trial results

Sir,

Last Sunday at the Curragh the two-year-old maiden race was won in impressive fashion by a horse making his first appearance on the racecourse.

Subsequently it became clear that this horse had won a barrier trial race recently at Dundalk racecourse. This is not the first time that horses have done good barrier trials and have subsequently come out and won on the racecourse.

Barrier trials are a recent innovation in Ireland for horses racing on the flat. In National Hunt racing, though, schooling hurdles on racecourses have been the norm for a number of years now.

I think it is now incumbent on the racing authorities to include these trials in the form book, or even as an addendum to the regular form on the racecard. A lead should be taken from Bord na gCon who control greyhound racing in this country. When a greyhound runs a trial at a licenced track, that trial appears in the form for that dog when it next runs.

In our battle with the ‘old enemy’, namely the bookies, punters need all the relevant form they can get made available to them. I would be hopeful that the powers that be believe that any extra information that the racegoer has at their disposal would be viewed in a positive light, and addressed forthwith.

Yours in sport,

Declan O’Connell

Lakeside Park,

Newbridge,

Co Kildare.

Goffs Champions Sale goes virtual

THE 2020 Goffs Champions Sale, traditionally held before racing at Leopardstown on the opening day of Irish Champions Weekend, will take place as an online timed auction. Bidding will open on Wednesday, September 9th and close on Friday, September 11th. Irish Champions Weekend takes place behind closed doors this year.

The horses in training sale has seen top prices of €500,000, €470,000, €450,000 and €300,000 since the inaugural sale in 2014, with buyers from the USA, Australia, Middle East, Ireland and Britain. Goffs aims to catalogue approximately 10 lots for the sale and applications should be made to Goffs or their agent Kevin O’Ryan by Monday, August 31st. Late entries may be considered for a further week after that.

Pat Graham RIP

THE death took place in the US last month of Pat Graham (South Carolina) who passed away on July 31st.

Pat was the son of Charles and Johanna Graham of Killeens, Ballynonty, Thurles and had been training horses in the US, where he had lived for the last 60 years.

He owned and trained many winners for himself and others.

Pat will be deeply missed by his wife Vivica, his daughter Britt, son Peter, daughter-in-law Suzanne, grandchildren Ellen and Julie, sisters Madge and Mary, brothers Joe and Jim, nephews, nieces, relatives and friends.

Alice’s new business

ALICE Kavanagh of Kildaragh Stud has launched a new mare and foal consigning business, AK Thoroughbreds, for the forthcoming breeding stock sales. She anticipates preparing a handful of quality foals and select mares for Goffs and Tattersalls.

“This should dovetail perfectly with my existing responsibilities at Kildaragh and give me a focus for the autumn and a challenge I will relish,” she said.