Dingle ready for lift-off

LAST weekend’s scheduled pony races on Omey Island, which had to be postponed due to a weather warning, will now be held on Saturday, August 24th, at 1pm.

The Dingle Racing Festival continues today with a 2.30pm start. The feature races are the Golden Mile and the Laura Barry Ladies Derby.

Tomorrow’s action begins at 2.30pm, featuring the Lee Strand Dingle Derby over two miles.

Next weekend racing returns to Dooslough Beach in Geesala, Co Mayo, with racing on Saturday and Sunday.

All roads will lead to the Beara Peninsula on Thursday, August 15th, for the traditional Allihies races at 1pm.

The historic Cahersiveen races will be held on Sunday, August 25th, at 1pm.

New Cheltenham CEO

FORMER Marylebone Cricket Club boss Guy Lavender has been appointed the new Chief Executive Officer of Cheltenham Racecourse.

Originally part of the British Army for 18 years before retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 2006, Lavender also previously held a role as the London 2012 Director for the South West of England and Managing Director of Wave Hub, a £42m renewable energy project in Cornwall.

Starting in early 2025, it is anticipated that the lifelong racing enthusiast will work alongside Ian Renton, current Cheltenham managing director, to effect a smooth transition of responsibilities ahead of the 2025 Cheltenham Festival. Renton will remain involved at Cheltenham in an advisory capacity for a period, which will include The Festival.

Tramore set for festival

TRAMORE Racecourse are under starters orders for their flagship August Festival, which goes to post on Thursday, August 15th for four days.

The track has partnered with O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey as the title sponsor of the festival marquee, as well as a race sponsor on Saturday, August 17th, while there is live music and family entertainment on offer during the popular fixtures.

Fashion takes centre stage on Saturday’s card for the Lyrath Estate Hotel style evening. Celebrity judge, Christine Murphy from Urban Aran, will be on hand to pick the most stylish person on the night and the winner will walk away with a two-night stay at the Lyrath Estate Hotel, which includes breakfast, dinner on one evening, spa vouchers and €1,000 spending money.

Flat handicap ratings drop

THE Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board’s handicapping team implemented an interim drop in the domestic flat handicap ratings yesterday.

After a recent review of existing average ratings in the pool of flat horses, three-year-old-and-upwards flat handicappers (excluding blacktype performers) were dropped a general 1lb to 3lb.

Sprinter and milers were said to have dropped more than stayers, as with previous practice in this regard.

Major new French partnership

TWO of the most successful trainers in France will combine on a joint-licence next year, as Jean-Claude Rouget prepares to join forces with Jerome Reynier. Rouget, 70, is a giant of the sport and has trained more winners than any other handler in European history, while Reynier, 38, is an emerging force thanks to the exploits of horses like Facteur Cheval and Lazzat.

Rouget’s ill health has kept him away from the racecourse in recent months, and the pair will officially merge in January 2025.

Rosallion on the sidelines

IT remains to be seen whether Rosallion will race again this season as he recovers from a respiratory infection and is set to be kept away from soft gro und, but connections do intend to race him again next year at four.

The star miler missed out on his Sussex Stakes target last week and trainer Richard Hannon suggested next month’s Prix Du Moulin at ParisLongchamp may come too soon.