Leopardstown to host classics

NEWS ROUND-UP:LEOPARDSTOWN IS set to be the home of the classics in 2010 after yesterday's confirmation that the Curragh will shut down for over 18 months to facilitate the construction of its long-delayed €100 million facelift.

Building will begin at the Curragh in July next year and racing won't restart at the industry's headquarters until March of 2011.

The move was confirmed after a Turf Club meeting which backed the reconstruction project despite a series of planning appeal delays that have pushed the completion date years behind schedule.

Because of health and safety issues, as well as cost factors, it has been decided that racing cannot continue while work is under way and the July 2009 date is in place to avoid the scenario of the Curragh missing out on two renewals of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby. As it stands, however, all the 2010 classics will have to be run at Leopardstown as well as the 2009 St Leger.

Horse Racing Ireland's chief executive Brian Kavanagh said yesterday: "The fixtures committee of HRI had been looking at the possibilities in the event of the Turf Club doing what they're doing. The fixtures list for 2010 won't be finally decided until July of next year but the committee have already said the 2010 classics will be run at Leopardstown as well as the 2009 St Leger."

Kavanagh also said that HRI officials will meet the Turf Club soon to discuss their costs for the project but he stressed yesterday that racing's ruling body is behind the decision to press ahead with the Curragh reconstruction. In April of 2006, the HRI board approved grant aid of €37.3 million for the project.

Yesterday's announcement is just the latest stage of a controversial development that began with the Aga Khan's estimated €15 million present of the Stand House Hotel which opened the way for a long-awaited facelift to Irish racing's HQ.

Plans for ultra-modern new grandstands and a facility catering for attendances of over 64,000 was announced in early 2006 but it has been bedevilled by planning delays ever since.

A new ring-road around the track was completed in May of last year but work has stalled since with the project spending 16 months with An Bord Pleanála, during which time there were nine different deferrals. Planning permission was finally granted in February.

"The combined effects of long delays, coupled with the changing economic conditions, has seen the Turf Club re-evaluate all aspects of the project," said the Turf Club's chief executive Denis Egan. "Having consulted with our health and safety advisers it would not be wise to race during construction, It would also slow construction time."

The good news for the project's supporters, however, is it looks like finally going ahead next year. Egan also said yesterday that he didn't foresee funding to be an issue and that concerns about rebuilding costs running dramatically over-budget as a result of the time delay may be unfounded.

"Certain aspects will have to be re-tendered and with the more competitive economic situation out there at the moment there may be some cost-savings possible," he said.

"Some minor changes will be made to the plans. Building a hotel, for instance, has been put off in the short term and that will mean some minor alterations to the new stands. But the original plans are still set to go ahead."

The Turf Club senior steward Nick Wachman said: "This is a project that is going to help shape the future of Irish racing for the next 50 years. We believe it is essential we get it 100 per cent right."

There was understandable delight at the HRI-owned Leopardstown which now faces an extremely busy end to 2009 as well as the entire 2010. "Obviously it is going to be a challenge but one we are looking forward to," said Leopardstown's manager Tom Burke yesterday. "All I have heard so far is what is happening in relation to the classics. In terms of other big races, that will be something that has to be addressed by the fixtures people."

The south Dublin course has its own rebuilding plans in the pipeline but Burke added: "They were always going to only happen after the Curragh was finished so it looks like being three or four years down the line before we can even think of beginning."