IrishCentral Horse Racing - b5cc3275d518416eacb61d676e8d84d1

When the Easter Rising happened the British establishment were all at the racetrack - My grandfather, too, attended the Grand National horse race on that historic day (IrishCentral)

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 04:02:54 PDT

Easter Monday races at FairyhouseFairyhouse, County Meath: Back on April 24th 1916 the British establishment showed up here on Easter Monday for the horse racing highlight of the year in Ireland, the Irish Grand NationalLike most Irish events of the time it was a pale version of the British Grand National horse race, the greatest race on the racing calendarContemporary accounts reflect a grand old time, the British military officers in particular, on break from the First World War, were in fine humor enjoying the spectacle of the dayIt was a day known for the height of fashion as the Dublin ladies tried to catch the eye of the dashing military officers READ MORE

Five men jailed for illegal horse racing on public road - VIDEO (IrishCentral)

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 05:28:44 PST

By: IRISHCENTRAL STAFF WRITERS

A judge in Cork has sent five men to jail for five months for dangerous driving after a sulky race on the Cork to Mallow road last May.

Dullahan to win Belmont in absence of I’ll Have Another -- Connections get luck of the Irish with favorite’s defection (IrishCentral)

Sat, 09 Jun 2012 04:15:36 PDT

Dullahan to win BelmontThe defection of I’ll Have Another is a real body blow to racing and to the millions of fans who were looking forward to a Triple Crown winner after 35 yearsIt will be Hamlet without the prince at Belmont tomorrow, but it will still be a helluva race, thrown wide open by the absence of the Triple Crown pretenderDullahan, named after a Celtic god of Mythology and owned by Jerry Crawford of Donegal Stables, will be the favorite at 9/5 or soHe worked in a very impressive manner earlier this week and finished like a train in the Kentucky Derby, so the mile and a half distance should suit him READ MORE

Doug O’Neill’s horse, I’ll Have Another, to confirm Derby placing with Bodemeister and win Preakness (IrishCentral)

Fri, 18 May 2012 06:46:00 PDT

Doug O’Neill’s horse, I’ll Have AnotherDoug O’Neill, the 44-year-old Californian Irish American, will be looking to take the next step into the history books on Saturday when his colt, I’ll Have Another, steps into the starting stalls for the Preakness the second leg of the Triple CrownDespite winning the Kentucky Derby I’ll Have Another will not even start favorite for the Pimlico classic, which will be shown live on NBCThat honor goes to Bodemeister who came second in the Derby but was compromised by a poor ride by jockey Mike Smith who went off like the hammers from hell and went too fast to last all the way on the leadThe general belief is that Bodemeister will set a slower pace on Saturday and that will help him last READ MORE

Irish Traveller’s dangerous highway horse race called "medieval" by judge - VIDEO (IrishCentral)

Fri, 18 May 2012 05:36:28 PDT

By: KERRY O’SHEA

Three Irish Travellers have been convicted of dangerous driving in Sligo following an incident of horse racing - also known as sulky racing - on the N4 between Sligo and Dublin in 2010. Sligo District Court judge Kevin Kilrane slammed the practice of sulky racing as well as its fans.

The Irish Examiner reports on the conviction that has been years in the making. Video that was posted on YouTube (see below) provided enough evidence of the incident of the race between Limerick Lady and Duck Filly, flanked by vehicles almost four abreast on the road.

Traveller horse race provokes outrage -- dramatic police chase footage goes viral -- VIDEO (IrishCentral)

Mon, 14 May 2012 06:45:15 PDT

Dramatic footage of Irish Travellers holding 'sulky' horse races on a busy Cork commuter road has gone viral, while police have promised to prosecute those involved in holding the unofficial racesThe amazing footage (below) has been viewed almost 200,000 times on YouTube, and featured in a BBC report It shows unidentified members of the Travelling Community racing horses on the wrong side of a major Irish highway, before a police car joins in the chase, as oncoming traffic swerves to avoid collisionThe contest between the two riders featuring in the video was a traditional harness horse race, but this was one of the first times one had been held on a major public throughway -- and captured on amateur video for astonished viewers around the world to see READ MORE

Horse race winner tells the nation he’s going to have sex after breakthrough victory - VIDEO (IrishCentral)

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:51:53 PST

By: PATRICK COUNIHAN

A race horse trainer turned the Irish airwaves blue on Sunday – when he told the nation he was going to celebrate a Leopardstown win with sex.

Animal rights activists call on Irish government to ban horse racing (IrishCentral)

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:41:22 PST

By: CATHAL DERVAN

Animal rights activists have issued fresh calls for horseracing to be banned in Ireland after five horse fatalities at the Leopardstown Christmas festival.

Breeder’s Cup triumph on the double for Aidan and Joseph O’Brien (IrishCentral)

Sun, 06 Nov 2011 06:59:59 PST

By: CATHAL DERVAN

Racing’s world-famous O’Brien family are celebrating on the double after trainer Aidan and son Joseph enjoyed a Breeder’s Cup day bonanza.

Chorus Music stakes victory keeps great Irish horse racing tradition alive at Saratoga (IrishCentral)

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 05:10:10 PDT

Back in the day Irish Linnet was one of the best fillies to ever don a bridle Trained by Irishman Leo O'Brien, she won five times at Saratoga, the premier track meet in America,She was part of an unforgettable twosome, her half-sister rish Actress was also a prodigious winner They were owned by one of Ireland's greatest emigrants, Austin Delaney who loved to see his Mayo colors flashing by the winning line, especially at Saratoga The after race parties at the local Parting Glass tavern were always something to behold READ MORE

Zenyatta and Guinness (IrishCentral)

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 11:04:01 PDT

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Back in the day Irish Linnet was one of the best fillies to ever don a bridle.

Horse racing and greyhound racing latest victims of Irish freeze (IrishCentral)

Sat, 09 Jan 2010 06:48:03 PST

By: SEAN O'SHEA

Horse racing and greyhound racing have become the latest victims of the major freeze in Ireland. The Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) has announced that all racing has been canceled for at least a week as the arctic weather continues. There is expected to be no break in the current conditions for at least another week to ten days.

Mine That Bird wins the Kentucky Derby (IrishCentral)

Sat, 02 May 2009 02:32:47 PDT

By: DECLAN O'KELLY

Mr. Hot Stuff's Irish trainer ready for Kentucky Derby (IrishCentral)

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:13:39 PDT

By: Declan O'Kelly

Kentucky Derby's Irish dream come true (IrishCentral)

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:46:37 PDT

By: NIall O'Dowd

Trainer Tom McCarthy's Kentucky Derby dream (IrishCentral)

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 01:13:28 PDT

By: DECLAN O'KELLY

Musket Man ready to fire at Kentucky Derby (IrishCentral)

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 03:05:56 PDT

By: Declan O'Kelly

Ladies' Day at Aintree (IrishCentral)

Fri, 03 Apr 2009 08:15:34 PDT

By:

Business Briefs Horse Racing Downturn (IrishCentral)

Sun, 08 Mar 2009 10:34:57 PDT

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Statistics for 2008 show that activity in the Irish horse racing industry shrank for the first time in more than 15 years. The industry body Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) said the effects of the economic downturn, as well as bad weather conditions, hit the sector in the second half of 2008. It said that while participation in the sport grew to a record level and prize money also rose, most of the other main figures fell. Attendances were down 9 percent from 2007's record to just under 1.4 million, with more than half of the drop blamed on canceled meetings. The most dramatic decline was in bloodstock sales, which dropped by almost 44 percent to €99.5 million. On-course betting turnover also fell by 18 percent, with betting at bookmakers down 21.5 percent. The tote fared a little better, with a drop of 10 percent. Last year, Horse Racing Ireland announced plans for cost cuts in response to the weaker economy and a reduction in funding for the industry announced in the budget. These included lower prize money, a pay freeze for HRI staff and no money for new racecourse developments. HRI chief executive Brian Kavanagh warned that the 16,500 people working in the industry needed to "brace themselves" for tough times ahead. He also called for the racing industry to become self-financing, through a "meaningful" levy on betting. Kavanagh said this should include all off-shore Internet and telephone betting, which he said had "wrongly escaped the taxation net" so far.