Ballinrobe Race Committee
Riding High
5 June 1996
By JONATHON MULLIN
It is an enviable position to be in. Success during a rebuilding process is extremely encouraging for the future.
Manchester United achieved it this season, as, apparently, has the Ballinrobe Racecourse - despite being in the midst of a redevelopment scheme set to modernise turnstiles and general facilities as well as the building of a new stand.
The total outlay envisaged to achieve this is £700,000. Last month, the Ballinrobe Racecourse Committee were heartened by a statement issued by Minister for Agriculture Ivan Yates, that Ballinrobe along with Naas, Listowel, Wexford and Gowran Park, are set to benefit from a facelift of the racing scene in Santa Claus proportions. Thirty million pounds in fact.
It's not that Mayo's only racecourse doesn't deserve the boost though, for the fortunes of a racecourse are partly measured by what is called the 'Tote aggregate' (the amount of money spent on the Tote during any one meeting) and Ballinrobe's Tote aggregate is quite impressive.
On a rainy day in April, when Ballinrobe held their first meeting of the year, £41,000 was spent on the Tote.
Compare this to £39,000 in Naas on a sunny Saturday in June and you can understand just why Ballinrobe is linking on to Minister Yeats' gravy train.
Ballinrobe's seemingly endless ascent is expected to continue on Thursday, when they host seven races with the Lough Carra Maiden Hurdle getting proceedings underway at 5.25p.m..
The seven races consist of three National Hunt and four Flat races,
providing the mix and choice that racegoers have been crying out for.
Connaught Telegraph - News - June 1996
Connaught Telegraph - Sport - June 1996
