ANNUAL REPORT 2011 - Horse Racing Ireland

NavanNavan raced 19 times in 2011, comprising 13 National Huntmeetings (increase of 4 from 2010 as a result of taking 2fixtures from Fairyhouse and lost meetings in 2010 due tobad weather) and 6 Flat meetings. Overall attendances for theyear were 32,951, a 2.5% increase on last year. Navan alsohosted a very successful schooling day in April. Tote bettingamounted to €1,300,474 while bookmaker turnover came to€4,428,984.Navan has fully implemented its re-structuring programmein both Racing and Golf and is now starting to see thefinancial benefits of these changes. Many of Ireland’sCheltenham hopefuls visited Navan in 2011 which is agreat recommendation for the quality of the racing surface.This year’s Ladbrokes.com Troytown Chase proved verysuccessful and attracted an attendance of 4,052. The raceitself has become a recognised target for a number ofIreland’s leading handicap staying chasers.The Flat racing programme in April saw the Salsabil Stakesand Vintage Crop Stakes won by Fame and Glory, on his wayto success in the Ascot Gold Cup, one of the highlights of theEuropean Flat racing season.The golf course has also undertaken a number of newinitiatives to grow membership and green fee business and todate has received a positive take-up of the packages offered.TipperaryIn 2011, Tipperary Racecourse staged 12 fixtures, onemore then the scheduled 11 cards due to the addition of atransferred card from Fairyhouse. There was 1 Mixed, 7 Flatand 4 National Hunt cards. Compared to 2010, there was oneless National Hunt card and one additional Flat card.Attendances were down 9% from 18,892 in 2010 to 17,196in 2011. Tote betting amounted to €699,189 and bookmakerturnover was €2,014,172, over Tipperary’s season.The very first race of the 2011 Racing season at Tipperarygave an indicator of what was to come in terms of qualityas the Michael Mulvany trained Tough As Nails strode toan impressive seven length victory. Indeed, that very firstmeeting set the tone for the season as Dermot Weld’sNotable Graduate took the 3-Y-O Maiden on the card whilePittoni defeated Galileo’s Choice in the concluding conditionsrace over a mile and six furlongs. Notable Graduatesubsequently went on to take his chance in the Dubai DutyFree Irish Derby while Pittoni went on to win at Listowel andNaas before taking third place in the recent Grade 1 MorgianaHurdle at Punchestown. Galileo’s Choice subsequentlyscored at the Galway Festival over hurdles before taking theGroup 3 Kilternan Stakes at Leopardstown on Red Mills IrishChampion Stakes Day in early September.The National Hunt races also featured some top qualityperformers such as First Lieutenant, who opened his accountover fences in the Like A Butterfly Novice Chase in earlyOctober, while on the same card, Edward O’Grady’s The RealArticle confirmed himself as a most improved animal whentaking the Friends Of Tipperary Hurdle. The Real Articlehad earlier gone very close against Captain Cee Bee in theKevin McManus Bookmakers Grimes Hurdle in July and hassubsequently won a graded event at Down Royal.Again on Easter Sunday, the Tipperary Vintage Club ran avery successful vintage rally, which to date has raised over€24,000 for local South Tipperary charities, while showcasingthe racecourse as a versatile facility.Horse Racing Ireland Annual Report 2011 15