Horse Racing Ireland confirms cancellation of two-day Kilbeggan meeting

Horse Racing Ireland has confirmed that next week’s two-day meeting at Kilbeggan has been cancelled. Instead, a meeting at Wexford will take place on Thursday evening (April 25th) and another a day later at Downpatrick.

Racing’s ruling body said the move was made following a request from the Kilbeggan Racecourse Committee.

It comes after the sudden death earlier this month of Kilbeggan’s long-standing general manager, Paddy Dunican, who died aged 61. He was in charge of the Co Westmeath track for over 35 years.

Reports have emerged since then of various issues that had arisen between Kilbeggan and the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board in recent months, including in relation to the track’s license to race.

After Dunican’s death, an IHRB statement expressed the organisation’s condolences. It also said: “The IHRB is responsible for licensing all participants in horse racing in Ireland including trainers, jockeys, jockeys agents and valets, as well as for licensing racecourses.

“The IHRB does not comment publicly on the licensing processes as they apply to individual licensees or applicants.”