THE course bookmakers are to boycott next Saturday's Ladbrokes meeting at Leopardstown following their failure to reach a new agreement with the Irish Horseracing Authority on the question of whether course betting shops should be allowed to accept wagers on the home meeting.

Mr Francis Hyland, secretary of the Irish National Bookmakers' Association, said: "Following the acrimonious dispute which took place between the INBA and the IHA in the latter half of 1995 on course bookmakers have compromised to the extent that we have agreed to the principle of on course betting shops, provided that no bets of any kind can be accepted at the home meeting.

"However, following our discussions with the IHA and its decision to do a U turn on the settlement we reached on December 30th last, we have been left with no alternative but to take action to defend the interests of our members and of Irish racing itself."

Noel Ryan, chief executive of the IHA, last night denied that any settlement had been reached with the on course bookmakers at their meeting last Monday.

It is believed that the Strategic Plan for the Development of the Irish Thoroughbred Industry 1997-2001, which is due to be launched at a reception in Dublin next Wednesday, comes out in favour of the shops being free to accept bets on all race meetings.