A Mid-October opening date is the plan for the new £11 million Limerick racecourse, and yesterday both the chief executive of the Irish Horseracing Authority and the chairman of the new racecourse emphatically denied there will be any overlap between the new track and Cork racecourse.

Both Martin Moore and Mark McMahon, respectively, were speaking at a press day at the new track at Greenmount, near Patrickswell, which will replace the old Greenpark track in Limerick city.

"Both this course and Cork will complement each other," said Moore. "The likes of the Curragh, Punchestown and Fairyhouse all feed off the same population and I'm sure it will be the same here."

Greenmount is just 35 miles from Cork racecourse but McMahon was quick to point out how the new track will be able to provide another much-needed winter facility.

"You have the likes of Thurles and Navan being ridden to death during the winter and having to race every second week. We have a 70-metre wide track that should be able to provide reasonable ground," he said.

The course, within viewing distance of Limerick city and on the edge of a new Limerick by-pass that is currently under construction, is due to be inspected by the Turf Club at the start of next month and hopes are high the first fixture will be on October 15th. The track has already been guaranteed two days racing over Christmas.

A total of 15 fixtures for the year 2001 have already been allocated to Greenmount, which is the owned by the Limerick Race Company but which has had 40 per cent of the total finance granted by the IHA. The aim within two years is to have an annual fixture total of 20 days.

The new track has an inner circumference of nine furlongs, while the chase track will measure just over 10 furlongs on the outer. It is right-handed with an acute tight turn away from the stands, a gradual climb up the back straight and then a long sweeping downhill run to the two and-a-half-furlong straight.

An original budget of £7 million was extended due to changes during development, including the addition of a fourth storey to the impressive 6,500 capacity stand and a man-made lake on the infield.

"From a racing point of view it's an easy, undemanding track. And the facilities are second to none, especially for indoor-racing people," said local trainer Michael Hourigan.