Key politician calls for racing resumption with equine sports activity to start

An announcement that equestrian sport activity can resume in Ireland from Monday provides a precedent for an earlier than anticipated resumption of racing, Fine Gael TD Martin Heydon told the Dail in a powerful address on Wednesday.

Heydon made his intervention on the same day Horse Sport Ireland announced that other equestrian activity would return in phase one of the government's roadmap on Monday.

Racing is scheduled to return on June 29 – phase three of that roadmap, which outlines the staggered reopening of businesses and social activities.

Lobbying is ongoing behind the scenes and there is cautious optimism that the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) will approve an earlier resumption of racing, possibly when phase two restrictions are scheduled to be lifted on June 8.

'A very strong case for the earlier resumption of racing'

Horse Racing Ireland hopes that the cabinet will be in a position to sign off on its proposals on Friday, with the department of agriculture supportive of HRI's submissions. HRI declined to comment on how negotiations were progressing on Wednesday.

In a robust and comprehensive speech, Heydon told the Dail: "I believe the precedent set here in relation to outdoor equestrian activity does give a very strong case for the earlier resumption of horseracing activity in Ireland also.

"Every day horses are being exercised on gallops all over the country with jockeys on their backs. Horse Racing Ireland have strengthened further the protocols around the resumption of racing behind closed doors, even since the ten meetings which were held behind closed doors, before the closure of the tier two activity some time ago."

The scene at Down Royal in March: Irish racing is scheduled to return on June 29Credit: Patrick McCann

He added: "The racing industry is that. It is an industry and not just a sport. It employs 30,000 people between the racing and breeding sector and the present restrictions on racing have significant knock-on implications for the breeze-up sales and the sales in general and the breeding sector more broadly, as well as very significant impacts on trainers and jockeys and racecourse and their future viability."

Heydon, whose constituency is South Kildare, highlighted the return of racing behind closed doors in France on Monday and made his case for Ireland to follow suit.

He said: "I believe horseracing can return in a safe manner, which is crucial when racing is resumed in other jurisdictions already like France this week. It's crucial that we in Ireland aren't left behind and I believe that it can be done in a safe way."

Heydon added: "It's also a source of much-needed enjoyment for the people at home, many of whom are cocooning. I know in Kildare, when you go knocking on doors, plenty of people of that age bracket would have the racing paper on their lap and would be following races very keenly throughout the day. We have many racing supporters at home who would dearly love to have Irish horseracing back on their TV sets as well.

"So I ask that due consideration would be given by NPHET and Cabinet in any discussions you are having in your role as minister for sport – I know the department of agriculture and the minister for agriculture are pushing that one as well – that racing could resume earlier than had been originally anticipated."

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