BUSINESS
HOT TO TROT
Fuelled by Rachael Blackmore’s historic winning of the Grand National, Irish horse racing is enjoying a huge upsurge in interest among families and young people. Horse Racing Ireland’s Vicki Donlon and Tim Husbands tell Stuart Clark how Leopardstown has been been changing its spots, and the plans they have for their three other courses around the country.
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reland has never been short of sporting heroines but this truly is a golden age with Katie Taylor, Kellie Harrington and Rachael Blackmore (pictured) all making front and back page headlines. The first female jockey to win the Grand National in its 182-year history, Blackmore’s Aintree heroics reflect the rude health of an Irish racing industry, which generates 29,000 jobs and an annual turnover of €2.4 billion. “Rachael’s a phenomenal ambassador for the sport and so humble,” enthuses Vicki Donlon, the Commercial Manager of Horse Racing Ireland who own the Leopardstown, Navan, Fairyhouse and Tipperary courses. “It transcends out of sport – she’s a household name now,” Vicki resumes. “Rachael’s broken so many glass ceilings and is an inspiration for women in not just racing but all spheres of life. It’s happening everywhere in sport: if you can’t see it, you can’t do it.” According to the latest Red C National Survey on Racing, public interest in the sport here has gone up from 23% to 28% in a year. “It shows there’s a major appetite among Irish people of all ages to be involved in our sport and our industry,” says Leopardstown Chief Executive, Tim Husbands MBE. “Racing may have been an older male preserve but not anymore. During April we ran our first Spin 1038 Student Race Day in three years, and had 9,000 turn up,” he reports. “We were told, ‘They’re not going to behave’ but they were an absolute joy to be around and so engaged as well. I’d say it was evenly split between males and females, as it was in February when over the two days of the Dublin Racing Festival we had 25,000 people here. We’re getting more and more families who, unlike a match, love the fact that it’s a whole day out.” Indeed, Horse Racing Ireland have been working overtime
“The main goal for us this year is to put on a wide variety of concerts that appeal to people who don’t come to horse racing.” 42
