Thursday 15th June 2023 (E)

Mrs. Eimear Mulhern

COMMITTEE

Mr. Jim Mulqueen (Chairperson)

Mrs. Suzanne Eade Mr Paul Dermody

Mrs. Una Manning Mr. Patrick Prendergast Mr. Tommy Breen

OFFICIALS:

The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board is responsible for the integrity of Irish Racing. In fulfilling this role, they provide Stewards and professional Officials at all racemeetings to ensure that their rules are properly observed.

The following list of Stewards and Officials are officiating at today’s race meeting:

Acting Stewards: Ms. Mary Cosgrave (Chairperson), Mr. R. Hall, Mrs Mary O’Connor, Mr. P. Caffrey & Mr. L. Walsh

Clerk of the Course: Mr. L. Wyer

Clerk of the Scales: Mr. P.L. Malone

Starter: Mr. J.R. Banahan

Judge: Mr. D. Maher

Handicapper: Mr. G. O’Gorman

Stewards Secretaries: Mr. M.F. O’Donoghue & Mr. P. Deegan

Medical Officer: Dr. A. Lehane

Veterinary Officer: Mr. A. Ryan M.V.B.

Veterinary Assistants: Ms. C. Murphy & Mr. D. Fennessy

Security Officer: Mr. D. Buckley

Receiver of Entries: Horse Racing Ireland, Ballymany, The Curragh, Co. Kildare.

Stakeholder: Horse Racing Ireland.

Hon. Surgeon to the Club: Mr. Gary O’Toole, BSc (Hons), MB BAO BCh (Hons), BMedSci MCh AFRCSI FRCS (Tr & Orth).

Veterinary Surgeons: Highfield Veterinary Clinic, Lisadell Equine Hospital, Ó’Scanaill & Associates Veterinary Surgeons, Ratoath Veterinary Clinic

Doctors to the Club: Dr. C.J. Murphy, Dr. R. Downey & Dr. F. Kenny

Commentator: Mr. Jerry Hannon

Farrier: Mr. Eamon Behan & Mr. Charlie Flanaghan

Welcome to Day 1 of Dublin Racing Festival 2022. There is a top quality day of racing today with four Grade 1 races, a leading Grade 2 bumper and two competitive handicaps. Todays feature race, the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup promises to be another thrilling contest and we are very grateful for the support of Paddy Power for this and the two supporting handicap races.

We also welcome the return of full crowds to Leopardstown for the first time since Dublin Racing Festival 2020. We are delighted to have racing fans back to experience National Hunt racing at Leopardstown and look forward to seeing everyone, without you, there has been a huge void at racing for the past two years.

Welcome to Leopardstown Racecourse for the second of our Bulmers Live at Leopardstown race meetings, showing the best of Irish and international music acts after racing. We have well-known Dublin act, Keywest performing for you this evening, followed by Mark McCabe, Wallis Bird, The Undertones, The Academic, The Human League and The Whistlin’ Donkeys throughout the Summer.

As with our spectators, our sponsors are integral to our racedays and we are very thankful for the support of Nathaniel Lacy & Partners Solicitors, Racing TV, and Goffs today, many of whom have supported Dublin Racing Festival since its inception. The continued support of all of todays sponsors have ensured we can continue to deliver competitive racing on what has become a marquee festival in the National Hunt calendar in only it’s fifth year as a festival.

Today’s card features 8 races including the Group 3 TRI Equestrian Ballycorous Stakes. It’s set to be a hotly contested field of eight runners. TRI Equestrian are based in Newbridge, Co Kildare and offer a range of goods and services predominantly for the equine industry, from horse shampoo to an equine multi vitamin supplement. TRI is the one stop shop for all things equine and horse rider related, they also do a lovely breakfast in their onsite café with brilliant views of the Curragh Gallops so it is worth a visit.

We want to emphasise to all those attending, that although government restrictions relating to Covid-19 have been eased, we continue to encourage diligence and ask everyone to be mindful of others and continue best practice in relation to hand sanitising and masked wearing in crowded areas.

We would also like to thank the Irish EBF for their continual support at Leopardstown. The Irish Stallion Farms EBF are key sponsors over all Irish racecourses and put a considerable amount of funding into Irish racing through additional prize money each year. The EBF also support selected veterinary research programmes benefitting the racing and breeding industry. This significant support is an important aspect for the whole industry and is a significant benefit to the owners through the contribution to the prize fund.

HRI Racecourses recently unveiled a primary partnership with Bulmers Ireland where they will become the Official Entertainment Partner of HRI Racecourses with the aim of enhancing all racegoers experience across our four racecourses at Leopardstown, Fairyhouse, Navan and Tipperary, the first manifestation of this is at Dublin Racing Festival and we are looking forward to seeing Mundy and his band playing live on stage in the Bulmers Secret Orchard Marquee after racing today.

Should you require any assistance throughout the day, or notice anything that is not to your satisfaction, please don’t hesitate to bring it to the attention of myself or a member of the Leopardstown Staff. We hope you have a enjoyable day at Leopardstown Racecourse with us today.

Tim Husbands M.B.E. Leopardstown Racecourse CEO

Leopardstown Racecourse

E:info@leopardstown.com

T: 01 289 0500

Plusvital are also kindly sponsoring the Plusvital Summer Series Trainers Championship that will run over our Summer fixtures. Each trainer will receive points for their successes at each of the meetings, with the overall winner taking home €3,000 of Plusvital nutritional supplement and genetic testing products. We are very grateful to Plusvital for their commitment to horse racing in Ireland and their continued support of Leopardstown Racecourse.

Keywest will be making the winning presentations for the fourth race on the card, The Keywest Handicap, and they will commence playing after the last race at approximately 8.45pm on the Bulmer’s Live stage. We are delighted to be partnering with Bulmer’s again this year to provide a great night of music and racing for all.

On behalf of the Leopardstown team we hope you have a great evening and hope to welcome you back to Leopardstown soon again. If there is anything the team at Leopardstown can do to make your evening more enjoyable, please let us know.

Tim Husbands MBE Chief Executive, Leopardstown Racecourse

E:info@leopardstown.com T: 01 289 0510