Flat back on Easter Saturday

The Irish Horseracing Authority has confirmed Irish racing will resume on April 14th, but the outlook for those hoping to back Irish-trained horses at Liverpool or the rescheduled Cheltenham Festival next month remains bleak.

A pair of flat fixtures at Leopardstown and Cork will restart racing in this country, and contrary to earlier reports, the dates of the Fairyhouse Grand National Festival remain on April 15th-18th.

That will result in a two-day overlap with a refixed Cheltenham, but racing's authorities here are focusing on making up on the 23 race meetings that will have been lost due to the foot-and-mouth crisis by April 14th.

Measures to make up the gap will include eight-race programmes, double fixtures and additional fixtures that will be fitted in through May and the rest of summer. Official discussions are underway to discuss the lifting of the suspension on point-to-points and the movement of horses over the border.

Yesterday's IHA announcement came on the back of the Minister for Agriculture's relaxation of foot-and-mouth restrictions, although racing remains in a high-risk category and the sport's status is still under review.

In contrast to that positive news it remains unlikely any Irish-trained horses will be attending the Liverpool and Cheltenham festivals next month.

Although trainers can apply to the Department of Agriculture for permits to travel their horses, the official advice remains not to go to the UK.

A Department spokesman said yesterday: "It's the argument we heard some weeks ago about why shouldn't Istabraq travel to Cheltenham on his own to try and win a fourth Champion Hurdle. But if Istabraq had gone, how many thousands of people would have gone to see him.

"It's the people going to these events that are the issue, because they are opening themselves to massive potential risk in an area where there is widespread outbreaks of foot-and-mouth."

The argument that Irish horses travelling to the festivals could remain indefinitely in Britain and not return to Ireland also seems to be cutting little ice with the department.

"The foot-and-mouth problem is still spiralling in the UK, and the situation remains as the Minister called it earlier in the week that he views it as unlikely Irish horses will travel," the spokesman added.