No Irish Derby day return for bookmakers following dispute over pitch rules

There will be no on-course bookmakers for the pilot event on Irish Derby day on Saturday at the Curragh. The INPBA failed to agree to a temporary amendment of the pitch rules in time for a meeting. It is more than a year since bookies traded on an Irish racecourse.

There will be no Irish Derby day return for bookmakers following dispute over pitch rules. There will still be Tote facilities on course for the 1,000 people who will attend the race. Conor O'Neill, chairman of the Association of Irish Racecourses, hopes the dispute can be resolved soon. Covid-19 went without paying customers or bookies on an Irish racecourse for 15 months.