Leopardstown racecourse to get €14 million refurbishment for 2015

Leopardstown officials are planning a significant facelift to Dublin's only racecourse with the aim of catering for crowds of up to 20,000 in the future.

The next stage in the refurbishment of the stands complex is set for next year. Planning permission for a relocation of the current stewards room and administrative complex is likely to be made in March. If the application is successful, up to €14 million more will be spent before the end of Leopardstown’s redevelopment.

In the works

A new administrative complex, including a weigh-room, jockeys and stewards facilities, as well as new facilities for police and ambulance services, is planned for where the Ballyogan entrance gates are now situated. Such a move, to the other side of the parade-ring, will free up vital space in the main stands area.

"At the moment we can cater for 18,000 people here, but it's not as comfortable as we would like," said Leopardstown's chief executive, Pat Keogh. "The aim is to have modern, up- to-date facilities in place which will allow us cater for 20,000 comfortably."

Refurbishing work on the second-tier of the grandstand is due to be completed in 2015. If the HRI-owned track’s planning application is successful, work on the final stage of their redevelopment could begin in 2017.

The track is gearing itself up for its busiest fixture of the year, the upcoming Christmas festival, when up 55,000 people are expected to attend over four days.

The success of last September’s inaugural Champions Weekend fixture, when 13,190, were at Leopardstown, and hopes for significant crowd expansion on the back of that, is encouraging officials to think long-term.

“We have facilities here that are 40 years old and they have to be updated,” Keogh said. “Building a new administrative building will free up space for us to improve our service to the customer, including in the open area currently underneath the grandstand.”

Tank return?

The Tullow Tank, that exciting novice chaser, could yet attempt to secure Grade 1 success over fences during Christmas as he was found to be suffering from a lung infection when disappointing in the recent Drinmore Chase at Fairyhouse.

The 7-4 favourite only finished only fifth to Valseur Lido in that Drinmore, after which he was sent for tests.

“We’ve got the results back and he was suffering from an inflammatory lung infection,” said owner Barry Connell. “That would also probably account for the elevated heart rate he had.

“It’s nothing serious. We’d hope to get him back on track fairly soon, but it’s too early to say whether or not he’ll be running” at the Christmas Topaz Novice Chase.

A significant cross-channel influence on the Christmas action is hoped for, although a rogue piece of birch is threatening Cole Harden’s appearance in the three-mile Grade 1 Squared Financial Christmas Hurdle.