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Thread: Not looking good across the water

  1. #541
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sheikh View Post
    I read it at the weekend, is Irish racing fucked now ?
    Looks that way. In fairness to HRI, I think they had done a job job of lobbying but when you have a dissenter like Kennedy, people will listen.

  2. #542
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    Depends. Is there too much racing. Are there too many horses in training.
    Aidan is doing ok.
    Not sure how John & co are feeling, with no Northern Dancer yearlings to be plucked and their not inconsiderable enterprise a little less than the once mighty state it was in. And them not needing a Sangster now but having the funds -- and no killer horses. Not to be had even for ready money.

    Nothing lasts forever.

  3. #543
    Senior Member Sheikh's Avatar
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    I'm not really too concerned about Coolmore to be honest.
    Clare Balding for President.

  4. #544
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    Me neither. Just saying.

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    Moloney 'not interested'
    in taking HRI chair


    By Tony O'Hehir 1:28PM 5 OCT 2011
    PIERCE G MOLONEY, a former senior steward of the Turf Club and a former vice-chairman of Horse Racing Ireland, believes that when a new chairman of HRI is appointed later this year the position should be filled by a "non-racing person".
    Denis Brosnan's term as chairman of HRI , a role he has fulfilled since HRI was set up, ends in December. Molony's name has been one of many speculated on as a successor but he has ruled himself out.
    Molony said: "I've seen and heard my name mentioned but I'm not interested in the position. However, I have contacted the minister for agriculture Simon Coveney regarding the chairmanship of HRI and informed him that, in my opinion, the position should be filled by a non-racing person, as I believe the HRI board would be best served by an impartial individual not involved in the industry."
    Molony also has strong views on the composition of the HRI board.
    He said: "I believe it is too large and that it requires a mix of racing and non-racing people. I think a chairmanwith five board members from the industry, including representatives from the Turf Club and the INHS Committee and from the Association of Irish Racecourses, and four from outside the industry could be the way forward.
    "Board members should basically be policy makers with a minimum involvement in day-to-day industry activities."
    Regarding funding of the industry, Molony said: "I've felt for some time that the annual government grant should be abolished and that HRI should be made an independent commercial entity, with a profit focus.
    "A mechanism needs to be created for current revenue that would entitle HRI to a percentage of tax collected from all aspects of the industry and not only from betting. HRI's capital budget should be ring-fenced and remain with the Department of Finance for annual approval."
    New HRI chairman
    Paddy Power:
    5-4 Pierce G Molony, 2 Dermot Cantillon, 4 John McStay, 6 Eddie Irwin, 8 Jim Nicholson, 10 Charlie McCreevy, 16 Christy Grassick, John Moloney, John Power, Joe Walsh, 20 Sean Barrett, Jim Bolger, Eimear Mulhern, Michael O'Leary, Dick O'Sullivan, 40 John Magnier, John O'Donoghue, 50 JP McManus, 100 Bertie Ahern.

  6. #546
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    "I think a chairman with five board members from the industry, including representatives from the Turf Club and the INHS Committee and from the Association of Irish Racecourses, and four from outside the industry could be the way forward."

    So is there any place for the owners on the board? After all, we produce the raw materials on which the industry builds itself. Without horses, there would be no racecourses required, there would be no bookies offices, there would be no need for the Turf Club or HRI itself, or trainers!! Do the owners not deserve at least one place on his board?

  7. #547
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    To be worth a place on the board you should have something to contribute rather than an interest to defend.

    By the way that market for next chairman looks seriously out of date. Most of them are/used to be connected to Fianna Fail.

  8. #548
    Senior Member del boy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grey View Post
    To be worth a place on the board you should have something to contribute rather than an interest to defend.

    By the way that market for next chairman looks seriously out of date. Most of them are/used to be connected to Fianna Fail.
    The equivalent of a timeform squiggle.
    "Sometimes a horse is so far behind in a race, it actually thinks its leading...." Junior Soprano

  9. #549
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    Any bookies on the board?
    I imagine they'd have something to contribute, even if it's only emptying their pockets as they leave each meeting!
    Just one Ireland, come by peacefully & kept that way by natural feeling.

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    [QUOTE=Grey;437296]To be worth a place on the board you should have something to contribute rather than an interest to defend.QUOTE]

    That's like telling Roman Abramovitch that he cannot have a seat on his own board as he knows nothing about soccer!! Admittedly, he could have the business background to help on that front.

    The only way to have a board like the one you say is to insure that no member of the board has any link to racing in any way shape or form and that knocks out a lot of people. Otherwise someone has an interest to defend, potentially.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Soary Stars View Post
    Any bookies on the board?
    I imagine they'd have something to contribute, even if it's only emptying their pockets as they leave each meeting!
    At present there is one bookies representative

  12. #552
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    But which owners should be represented? The likes of Coolmore, or the likes of myself with a small share of a horse or two? It's pointless having one person trying to represent both.

    I think they need to get away from the notion that everyone with an interest in the health of racing, including the hawkers outside the racecourse gates, deserves to be represented, and instead look for people who can see the bigger picture. Some of these will of course happen to be owners, breeders and others working in the industry, but they should be on the board for what they can contribute, not which interest they represent.

  13. #553
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grey View Post
    they should be on the board for what they can contribute, not which interest they represent.
    I'm sure the current HRI board members would take issue with the inference. I agree with your general idea as you don't need to be a pilot to be on the board of Ryanair, but HRI is not a profit making organisation but an administrative machine there to serve the industry rather than profit from the industry (as Ryanair does from the airline industry) and I think its an important distinction.

  14. #554
    Super Moderator Irish Stamp's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Grey View Post
    But which owners should be represented? The likes of Coolmore, or the likes of myself with a small share of a horse or two? It's pointless having one person trying to represent both.

    I think they need to get away from the notion that everyone with an interest in the health of racing, including the hawkers outside the racecourse gates, deserves to be represented, and instead look for people who can see the bigger picture. Some of these will of course happen to be owners, breeders and others working in the industry, but they should be on the board for what they can contribute, not which interest they represent.
    The first question could be asked of the bookies - who is to be represented, Ladbrokes, Hills, Paddy Power, Boyles etc. who all have a large presence in the country but who ultimately wouldn't lose a heck of a lot if they weren't consulted or the racecourse bookmakers who make a living out of it.

    IMO you'd have a representative of the Owners Association, Turf Club, Racecourses, a major owner (Coolmore, Aga Khan, Moyglare, Sheikh Mo etc.) on a rotation basis (say every 2 years), one for breeders, major off-course bookmakers and then racecourse bookmakers.

    Just as an idea how about the Chairman of the Toblerone company heading up the HRI? He would have to be a runner surely?
    Hurricane Fly - whatever he runs in he wins

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  15. #555
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    Toblerone? I do feel lost, Irish!
    Just one Ireland, come by peacefully & kept that way by natural feeling.

  16. #556
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    There's always someone selling Toblerone outside Irish racecourses apparently.
    Hurricane Fly - whatever he runs in he wins

    Twitter: @Quevega

  17. #557
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    Quote Originally Posted by Irish Stamp View Post
    how about the Chairman of the Toblerone company heading up the HRI?

  18. #558
    Senior Member Sheikh's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Irish Stamp View Post
    Just as an idea how about the Chairman of the Toblerone company heading up the HRI? He would have to be a runner surely?
    The pear producers will be up in arms.
    Clare Balding for President.

  19. #559
    Senior Member On The Bridle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Irish Stamp View Post
    There's always someone selling Toblerone outside Irish racecourses apparently.
    They are the reall big ones as well - 3 for a fiver. Savage for a long drive home especially if you cant afford to stop for a steak or you have forgotten the wife's birthday!!!
    Do not mistake my silence for ignorance, my calmness for acceptance nor my kindness for weakness.

  20. #560
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    Quote Originally Posted by On The Bridle View Post
    They are the reall big ones as well - 3 for a fiver. Savage for a long drive home especially if you cant afford to stop for a steak or you have forgotten the wife's birthday!!!
    That sounds uncomfortably close to being the truth.

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