Curragh to release sectional timing data for 12 races on Irish Derby weekend

Standard sectional timing data will be published for the first time in Irish racing this weekend as the Curragh records tracking information for 12 races at the Irish Derby festival.

It was on this weekend three years ago Ireland's lack of sectional timing technology frustrated many when the Aidan O'Brien-trained 33-1 pacesetter Sovereign delivered a shock result in the 2019 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

Due to no tracking system in place, the ability to gauge whether Sovereign stole the race under Padraig Beggy with an easy lead was difficult to determine.

Irish racing had been promised sectional timing technology at every course from January 2017 when SIS was awarded the rights to implement such an initiative, but the project has seena five-year delay.

Racecourse Media Group's timing partner Coursetrack is now advancing the initiative and conducted a trial at the Curraghusing speed sensing equipment for the course's June 1 meeting.

Curragh chief executive Brian Kavanagh said: "We're looking forward to this. We had a trial here on June 1 that went well. After four of the races on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we will publish the times."

Brian Kavanagh: 'It's an area of significant interest for a number of people and it will be interesting to see what the times will be like'Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

The Racing Post understands about half of Irish tracks will take part in sectional timing trials over the coming months through Coursetrack.

Each course is expected to fundthe cost of operating the technologyat their fixtures, estimated to be between €1,000 to €1,500 per meeting.

Kavanagh added: "It's something we'll look to develop further. I think we'll extend it to all races after Derby weekend. We'll publish and focus on it. It's an area of significant interest for a number of people and it will be interesting to see what the times will be like."

As well as the Irish Derby, Sunday's Group 1 Pretty Polly Stakes is among the 12 races under the spotlight, along with the Group 2 Railway Stakes on Saturday and Rockingham Handicap. The race distances in the sample range from 5f to 2m, using the straight and round courses.

A spokesperson for Coursetrack told the Racing Post the sectional timing data for the Irish Derby and Pretty Polly Stakes would be released about an hour to an hour and a half after the Group 1 races finished.

Data for all other recorded races is expected to be available 24 hours after each race.

The Curragh's sectional timing races this weekend

Friday
5.00 Brentford FC Sponsors The Garden Province Irish EBF Maiden (6f)
6.08 Hollywoodbets We're Painting Ireland Purple Handicap (7f)
7.53 Hollywoodbets We're Here To Take Over Handicap (1m1f)
8.28 Hollywoodbets Shaping Your Betting Experience Irish EBF Handicap (2m)

Saturday
1.25 Dubai Duty Free Dash Stakes (Listed Race) (6f)
2.35 Listed Dubai Duty Free Celebration Stakes (1m)
3.05 Group 2 GAIN Railway Stakes (6f)
3.45 Group 1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby (1m4f)

Sunday
2.10 Group 2 Airlie Stud Stakes (6f)
3.10 Paddy Power Rockingham Handicap (5f)
3.45 Group 1 Alwasmiyah Pretty Polly Stakes (1m2f)
4.20 Irish Stallion Farms EBF "Ragusa" Handicap (1m4f)

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