There was good news for the Irish racing industry just before Christmas when the Department of Trade, Enterprise and Employment granted 100 visas for non-EU exercise workers.

Elaine Burke of Horse Racing Ireland was involved with the application, along with the Irish Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and the Irish Racehorse Trainers Association (IRTA).

Burke told The Irish Field last week: “It was a long process, which starting in 2018 and stalled by COVID. We had to prove to the Department that we could not source people in Ireland or the EU to fill these highly-skilled roles.

“Eventually we got there and we hope to make another application once these visas are taken.”

Attracting and retaining staff has been a big problem for trainers around the country in recent years. The issue was intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise in costs of overheads last year (diesel, insurance and feed) which have piled financial pressure on trainers.

Training fees

IRTA chief executive officer Michael Grassick has alluded that a rise in training fees for owners is inevitable. That organisation is also shortly due to enter talks with the Irish Stablestaff Association (ISA) over pay and conditions, with a view to updating the agreement between the two organisations which has not been changed since 2016.

ISA chair Bernard Caldwell told The Irish Field: “The hourly rate (€10.75) needs to increase but it’s not all about the money. Stable staff are equally concerned about their working conditions. Is there somewhere to get changed if they get wet? Is there a clean place to eat and have food.”

Caldwell was also unconvinced that bringing in workers from abroad was the right solution for staff shortages in the industry.

He said: “Irish stable staff would not be leaving the industry if they were looked after properly. I believe that good yards will always find staff. Young people have far more employment options now than they had in the past and racing needs to keep pace with wages and working conditions.”

Fairyhouse

Meanwhile on the track, Pat Fahy’s Dunvegan finally landed a big prize when he saw off market rival Blackbow to win the Dan & Joan Moore Memorial Handicap Chase at Fairyhouse on Sunday.

The pair dominated the two-mile-one-furlong contest, dueling together for much of the race, but it was the nine-year-old who retained his 100% record at the Meath track, with a big leap at the last (pictured) sealing the deal.

The Carlow native trainer said afterwards: “When I saw him jumping the second last, I started to enjoy it. It was straightforward. Before Christmas he was bouncing but then he just went a little bit short. We worked on him and he showed today that he wasn’t feeling anything.

“Bryan (Cooper) gave the horse a brilliant ride and we’ve always thought a lot of him. He kind of went backwards on us and looked like a three-mile chaser but this seems to be his trip. We have him in the Queen Mother. I know you are really jumping in class but he’s done us no harm so we’ll see.”

In Britain, Constitution Hill looked a real star in the Grade 1 Unibet Tolworth Hurdle at Sandown on Saturday. In stamina-sapping conditions, the five-year-old made light work of his task, running out a 12-length winner and is now clear favourite with most bookmakers for the Supreme Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham.