CONGRATULATIONS to Fairyhouse on being named Racecourse of the Year at the recent Horse Racing Ireland Awards.

This was a first for Fairyhouse and what was notable is that - for the first time this year - the winner was decided by racing fans and each racecourse also had a vote. Another new component of this award was that each racecourse was judged on its sustainability awareness by a select HRI committee.

Almost 10,000 racegoers and racing fans voted in the online poll and their contribution equated to 50% of the total votes, with 25% allotted to both racecourses and the HRI ‘sustainability’ committee.

A delighted Fairyhouse general manager Peter Roe said: “We’ve never got to the last four before so to win it is a shock.

“It’s all down to the team at Fairyhouse and everyone involved in racing. We’re so fortunate to have the support of jockeys, trainers and owners who send us some of the best racehorses in the world. We bring it all together at Fairyhouse, from the track team, operations, hospitality, marketing. I’m just so fortunate to have a great team and committee.

“At Fairyhouse we try to make racedays a personable day and be friends with everyone. You’re judged on your most recent raceday. Our Winter Festival went great but if something goes wrong next Saturday then that goodwill is gone. We have to keep looking forward, like everyone else in this game.”

Asked about Fairyhouse’s commitment to sustainability, Roe said: “Our track foreman Richard Stapleton swapped tractors for grazing sheep. Sustainability is something we all have to take a part in. We have three different types of bin at Fairyhouse and it drives me mad to see people not separating their rubbish. So my message to anyone going racing is think twice before you dump your rubbish at a racecourse!”