Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Following a review of the level of entries and declarations for Dundalk over the past two months the HRI Programmes Committee has approved a number of revisions to the All Weather Track (AWT) race programme for January to March 2012. A full revised schedule for the period is available on-line at info.hri-racing.ie.
1. The number of programmed races at 11 of the 12 meetings in the period will be reduced from 7 to 6 by the removal of one race from the previous schedule – the races selected are predominantly claiming races.
2. This will allow two races to be divided on each card or even one race to be divided three ways, thereby helping to provide more opportunities in the areas of the programme where there is the highest demand.
3. The upper rating bands for higher quality handicaps are reduced, from 85 to 80 in January and from 90 to 85 in February and March.
4. The rating bands are tightened for a number of handicaps from 20lb to 15lb weight ranges (i.e. 60-75 rather than 55-75).
Announcing the new measures HRI Director of Racing Jason Morris stated: “HRI recognised from the outset that staging one Flat meeting per week would provide a significant race programming challenge. We appreciate the frustration being felt by the connections of horses currently being balloted out and we hope that the measures taken will improve the situation from January onwards. Removing a number of races from the programme will provide the flexibility for more races to be divided in the areas most required by the horse population. Reducing the higher rating band limits and tightening some of the rating bands should also assist in reducing the overall level of balloting.”
