Several high profile trainers have called on the Government to allow more spectators to attend race meetings as frustration has grown significantly within the racing industry in recent weeks.

Since early July, there has been a limit of 500 people allowed to attend race meetings, with Galway’s Summer Festival the only exception when 1,000 people were allowed to attend after the track initially proposed to host 5,000.

Dermot Weld, Jessica Harrington and Noel Meade have all called for a larger number of spectators to be allowed to attend the races and have pointed to the recent announcement that 40,000 people will be allowed to attend the All Ireland finals as an example of unfair treatment of the racing sector.

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Speaking to The Irish Field on Friday, Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) chief executive Brian Kavanagh explained: “From the beginning, it was made clear to us by expert consultants in the area of event safety that racing would be considered differently to stadia sport events by public health officials, and that has been the case.

“The characteristics of a race meeting – or at least the public elements of a race meeting – more closely mirror those of a concert or a social event rather than a stadium sports event. People mingle over a period of three to four hours, there is alcohol sold, and contact tracing can be challenging.

“That said, while the situation still requires caution, the potential for further increased attendance is clear. The vaccination rollout has advanced significantly and indoor food and beverage activities have been permitted to resume generally. Our communication with Government has been that 500 is an inadequate number for most race meetings and wholly insufficient for a number of major meetings.”

Big meetings

The next significant meetings which would usually bring in big crowds are the Listowel Harvest Festival and Irish Champions’ Weekend which both take place in mid September.

Meanwhile at the Curragh on Sunday, British raider Ebro River claimed the Group 1 Phoenix Stakes for Hugo Palmer.

The Al Shaqab Racing-owned colt held off the challenges of Dr Zempf, Go Bears Go and Castle Star to give rider Shane Foley the sixth Group 1 of his career. Foley had just flown back from Saratoga, New York overnight, where he travelled to ride Jessica Harrington’s Cadillac in the Saratoga Derby.

That colt finished a disappointing eighth but there was an Irish winner of the race as Joseph O’Brien’s State Of Rest powered home to win impressively.