Dates set for ITM

barrier trials

THREE dates for the Irish EBF Barrier Trials have been granted approval, starting next month.

The first session will take place on Monday, May 27th, at Naas, using the inside course over six and seven furlongs.

Dundalk Stadium will host the middle fixture on Monday, July 8th, while Leopardstown will be the venue for the final date on Wednesday, August 28th, again at six and seven furlongs.

“We are looking forward to staging the Irish EBF Barrier Trials again this summer. We are delighted to have the backing of the Irish EBF again and we are also very grateful to the tracks that have agreed to host fixtures amid what is already a very busy calendar,” said Charles O’Neill, CEO of Irish Thoroughbred Marketing.

“Thanks also to the owners, trainers and jockeys who have supported the trials until now. We had horses from 35 different stables take part over two days last year. We also have to credit those behind the scenes including the IHRB, IRIS, stalls handlers and the medical and veterinary teams supporting.”

As in previous years, the Irish EBF Barrier Trials will be restricted to unraced two-year-olds and three-year-olds and every runner must be named and returned in training with a stalls certificate.

The updated terms and conditions will be advertised on the RAS webpage well in advance of each date.

In recent years the Irish EBF Barrier Trials have resulted in sales of numerous horses to win in Britain, France, Hong Kong, the USA and Australia.

It has also been a staging post for three individual Group 1 winners to date, including a classic winner, with graduates also successful at Royal Ascot, the Dubai World Cup programme and even the Cheltenham Festival.

Jet Away returns

JET Away has resumed covering mares at Arctic Tack Stud in Co Wexford. The sire of Grade 1 winner Brandy Love in his first crop, Jet Away is advertised as ‘fee private’.

ITBA NR Awards

THE Northern Region of the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association will hold its awards evening at Downpatrick Racecourse on Friday, May 10th. Contact the ITBA for more information or to purchase tickets.

Plenty for kids at HQ on Sunday

BRING the kids to the Curragh on Sunday (April 14th).

A variety of free family entertainment will be hosted throughout the afternoon with the Moyglare Kids Zone area packed with free activities for children and performances from local stage schools including Kildare Irish Figure Dancing, N C Performing Art, Leinster Academy of Dance, Leah Moran Stage School and Stage Academy Stage School.

Exhibition games by children from various local sports clubs will also take place between races on the racetrack, featuring Newbridge Athletic Club, Moorefield GAA, Sarsfield GAA, Milltown GAA, Newbridge Rugby Club, Cill Dara Rugby Club, Newbridge Town FC and Newbridge United FC.

Curragh secures

sponsor deals

AL Basti Equiworld will sponsor a variety of races at the Curragh this year. Their portfolio is headed by the €100,000 International Stakes on Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby weekend and now also includes the €45,000 Orby Stakes on Tattersalls Irish Guineas weekend.

The Curragh aims to have every race sponsored this year and the latest corporate sign-up is Trainor Stone and Tile, who will sponsor a series of two-year-old maidens during the season.

Managing director Peter Trainor is a keen racing enthusiast and has enjoyed success as an owner in both Ireland and Britain, while he also owned Future History, who ran respectably in the Melbourne Cup, having finished third in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup last year.

Breeder of Month winner revealed

OLIVE Gordon, breeder of Grade 1 winning novice chaser Nickle Back, has won the Connolly’s Red Mills/The Irish Field Breeder of the Month award for February.