Category: News

Ballinrobe launch 2019 racing season

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McHale Raceday with record prizemoney

Ballinrobe Racecourse today launch their 2019 season at the racetrack, with ten evening race meetings scheduled between April and September, comprising eight National Hunt and two Flat meetings, with total prizemoney of over €1million on offer. 
 
One of the highlights of the Ballinrobe fixture list is the McHale Raceday on Tuesday May 28, sponsored by specialist farm machinery company, McHale, now in their sixth year of sponsorship. Feature races on the day include the McHale Mayo National of €50,000 and the McHale Mayo Hurdle of €50,000, both the most valuable races to be run at Ballinrobe this season.
 
The Vaughan Shoes Ladies Day on June 24 is also a hugely popular event and this year will be judged by fashion stylist with Ireland AM, Mandy Maher of Catwalk Model Agency, Galway, with a cash prize of €1,500 up for grabs.  With shops in Ballinrobe, Claremorris and Castlebar, Vaughan Shoes is one of the leading shoe store chains in the west of Ireland.
 
Family day at Ballinrobe Racecourse takes place on July 22, a meeting which was very well-received by local families last year and a wide range of free, fun activities are planned for children of all ages.
 
John Flannelly, Manager of Ballinrobe Racecourse, said: “We are delighted to be launching our 2019 racing season here at Ballinrobe. We have an exciting racing programme lined up with record prizemoney. We are delighted that McHale are once again sponsoring the hugely popular McHale Raceday with two races valued at €50,000 on the day. The ever-popular Vaughan Shoes Ladies Day will take place on June 24th this year. I would like to thank all our sponsors, including a number of new sponsors this year for their wonderful support and commitment to Ballinrobe Racecourse over the years. We look forward to welcoming everyone back racing on Friday evening, April 12th.”
 
The season kicks off on Friday April 12 with ‘Friday Night Fever’ – a package available to groups of ten or more to include admission, racecard, €5 Tote bet and a glass of wine or a pint, all for €20! For further information and ticket bookings visit www.ballinroberacecourse.ie
 
Ballinrobe Fixtures 2019
Friday April 12th (e)
Tuesday 7th May (e)
Monday 27th May (e)
Tuesday 28th May (e)
Monday 24th June (e)
Monday 22nd July (e)
Tuesday 23rd July (e)
Monday 12th August (e)
Tuesday 27th August (e)
Friday 20th September (e)
Pictured at the 2019 Ballinrobe Races Season Launch: Jonathan Mullin, DIrector of Communications and Corporate Affairs HRI, Ross Kierans General Manager, TOTE, John Staunton, Chairman Ballinrobe Racecourse, Lynda Reilly, Operations Manager TOTE, Gerard Geraghty, PRO Ballinrobe Racecouse & John Flannelly, Manager Ballinrobe Racecourse.
Pictured at 2019 Season Launch Michael Duffy, Mayo News, Jonathan Mullin, Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs HRI, John Staunton Chairman Ballinrobe Racecourse, Michael Grassick, CEO of Irish Racehorse Trainers Association, Gerard Geraghty, PRO Ballinrobe Racecourse & Michael Higgins, General Manager of the Irish Injured Jockeys Fund
Vaughan Shoes Ladies Day Judge Mandy Maher pictured with Chairman John Staunton and Laura Vaughan of Vaughan Shoes

Ballinrobe Host HRI Industry Education Day

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Tuesday, September 11th 2018

At the Transition Year Education Day at Ballinrobe Racecourse, pictured were T.Y. Students from St.Colmans College Claremorris with Racecourse Track Manager Cathal Flannelly and their Teacher Carmel Cruise.
Pic:Trish Forde.

 

127 transition year students from two local secondary schools, St Colman’s College, Claremorris and Ballinrobe Community School, got to go behind-the-scenes at Ballinrobe racecourse today. 

At the Transition Year Education Day at Ballinrobe Racecourse, pictured were students from Ballinrobe Community School, with their Teacher Shane Conlon and Racecourse Manager John Flannelly.
Pic:Trish Forde.

 

The students met with racecourse manager John Flannelly who spoke about preparing for racedays and the role of the racecourse in the community.  John also took students on a tour of the racecourse.

 

Ballinrobe Racecourse Track Manager Cathal Flannelly. speaking to students from St.Colmans College Claremorris at the Transition Year Education Day at the Racecourse.
Pic:Trish Forde.

Track foreman Cathal Flannelly discussed ground maintenance and management, while trainer Michael Grassick from the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association spoke to the students about life as a racehorse trainer and about how to prepare a horse for the races.

 

Patrick Ryan from HRI’s CARE department gave the students an overview of the racing industry and discussed potential employment options within the industry.

 

At the Transition Year Education Day at Ballinrobe Racecourse, pictured were speakers at the event:Left to right:Ballinrobe Racecourse Track Manager Cathal Flannelly, Horse Racing Ireland representitive Paddy Ryan, Irish Racehorse Trainers Association CEO Michael Grassick and Racecourse Manager John Flannelly.
Pic:Trish Forde.

The objective of the HRI’s industry education day is to build ties between the racecourse and their local community and build on the growing interest in horse racing among students, creating opportunities to experience the sport in greater depth. 

 

John Flannelly, Ballinrobe racecourse manager, commented: “We were delighted to welcome transition year students to Ballinrobe today.  It gives us an opportunity to showcase our facilities, meet the team on the ground and educate students on what goes on behind the scenes.  We are very fortunate to have great support from the local community and we look forward to welcoming these students back to Ballinrobe with their families and friends.”

 

 

 

At the Transition Year Education Day at Ballinrobe Racecourse, pictured were students from Ballinrobe Community School, with their Teacher Shane Conlon and Racecourse Manager John Flannelly.
Pic:Trish Forde.

Abandoned Meeting: Racecourse Statement

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The Management and Committee of Ballinrobe Racecourse sincerely apologise to all racegoers following the abandonment of this evenings meeting. We respect the decision of the stewards. We will continue to work closely with the IHRB. All racegoers have received free entry to any one of our remaining meetings this year. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Ballinrobe again. 

IHRB Press Release

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The stewards have issued the following statement regarding the abandonment of this evenings meeting after the third race: 

 

“Following the running of the third race, the Stewards received a delegation of riders regarding the safety of the racing surface. Evidence was heard from C.D. Hayes, G.P. Halpin, S Foley, K.J. Manning, D. P. McDonogh, G. F. Carroll and C. O’Donoghue. The riders stated that while the course was well presented and laid out, the surface of the track was giving way underfoot which was causing their mounts to slip. In their opinion it was not safe to continue racing and the application of sand would not improve the situation. Further evidence was heard from L. Wyer, IHRB Clerk of the Course and John Flannelly Racecourse Manager. The stewards also received a delegation of trainers and heard evidence from S. Fahey, G. T. Lynch, G. Cromwell, T. Doyle, G. M. O’Neill, T. Collins and A. Leahy.

 

Having considered all the evidence, the stewards used their powers under Rule 10 (i) to order the abandonment of the remainder of the meeting in the interest of safety.” 

Winning trainer Ado McGuinness speaks about Military Hill after his victory at Ballinrobe on Monday

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From North County Dublin to Ballinrobe is a fair trek, but it is not one that trainer Ado McGuinness is unfamiliar with and he struck in the opening Tote Claiming Race at the Mayo venue on Monday night with the Sean Gallagher-owned Military Hill.
 
The son of Majestic Missile does not win very often and rider Shane Foley had to be at his strongest to persuade him to win, but in the end he just got his head in front where it mattered as he accounted for Fox Dream by half-a-length.
 
 
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