TALKS BETWEEN the Turf Club and its officials will resume at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) next Wednesday.
The dispute with the Turf Club Officials Association (TCOA) over pay and conditions which almost resulted in strike action on Sunday has been at the LRC for over 40 hours, and talks on Tuesday were adjourned to next week.
“It could take two or three more sessions but there is a willingness to resolve the matter on both sides. It is a slow process though,” said Turf Club chief executive Denis Egan yesterday.
The TCOA’s threat to strike was averted just a few days before pickets were to be placed at Leopardstown and Clonmel when the Turf Club agreed to go to the Labour Court should LRC talks fail.
In other news, Willie Mullins has four possible starters as he pursues a seventh Champion Bumper victory at Cheltenham, with Day Of A Lifetime, a Fairyhouse winner last month on his only start, now a 7 to 1 joint-favourite with Elegant Concorde.
The champion trainer’s other three possibles among a list of 38 entries left in at yesterday’s forfeit stage are Bishopsfurze, Lioss A Choill and Up Ou That.
Seventeen Irish-trained horses are left in a race that has been dominated by winners from this country. Fourteen of the 17 winners have been based in Ireland.
Edward O’Grady has confirmed that Sunday’s impressive winner, Shot From The Hip, will take his chance in the Bumper.
“I thought he was very good the other day. If he improves, and he should, I think he will run a very solid, sound race,” O’Grady said.
