Horse racing to resume on Easter Monday

Horse racing will resume on a limited basis on Monday April 16th, the Minister for Agriculture Mr Walsh announced today.

From April 16th, flat racing will commence and from April 19th a full programme of National Hunt racing will resume.

However, point-to-point meetings will continue to be banned as they "are held on farms and non-enclosed areas, and cannot be regulated in the same way", the Minister said.

The beginning is contingent on there being no more cases of foot-and-mouth disease on the island of Ireland, said Mr Joe Walsh.

It is welcome news for the Punchestown festival which is due to begin on April 24th.

Mr Walsh also reiterated his pleas to sporting organisations to maintain vigilance, particularly with reference to disinfectant mats. He said the fine weather would mean the mats would have to be doused more often.