Turf Club Regulations Curragh Training Grounds 2009 Trainers are responsible for familiarising themselves and their staff with the regulations of the Curragh Training Grounds, and it is suggested that a copy of these regulations be made available in your tack room. 1. These regulations are made in accordance with Rules 19 25 of the Rules & Orders of the Turf Club. 2. Any trainer who wishes to train horses on the lands held by the Turf Club must apply annually to the Stewards of the Turf Club for a special license to train on these lands and on making such an application must specify the horses then under his/her charge and the names of their owners. 3. Every licence granted to a trainer under Rule 19 will be conditional on the trainer obeying these regulations, the Rules of Racing, and such other regulations as may be made from time to time. 4. Any person who shall train a horse on lands at the Curragh held by the Turf Club without holding a licence under Rule 19 shall be liable to be warned off the Club s lands. 5. Every trainer shall be liable to be fined or have his/her licence to train withdrawn if he/she fails to comply with the rules set down by the Stewards, and from time to time by the management of the Training Grounds. 6. Every owner with a horse in training with a licensed Curragh Trainer or Permit Holder shall pay to the Stewards of the Turf Club the amount of 615 in respect of each horse during the period of January 1 st to June 30 th, and another 615 in respect of each horse during the period of 1 st July to December 31 st. 7. Every trainer is required to send into Horse Racing Ireland a list of named horses which are under his/her charge on 1 st January. Thereafter a list of any additional named horse or horses which have come under his/her care must be returned to Horse Racing Ireland in advance of such horses being trained on lands held by the Turf Club. Details of un-named horses under a trainers care must also be returned to the Curragh Manager in advance of them using the Curragh Gallops. 1
8. Trainers who do not train at the Curragh, but who wish to gallop or school their horses on the Curragh Training Grounds, may be allowed to do so provided that the rules laid down by the Stewards for the management of the Training Grounds are complied with, and that a fee to be determined from time to time by the Stewards of the Turf Club is paid by the owner to the General Manager of the Curragh Racecourse and Training Ground. In every such case, application must be made to the Training Grounds Manager on the previous day during office hours. 9. Trainers and Permit Holders will be held directly responsible for the strict observation of these regulations both by themselves and their employees. Any infringements may be dealt with by the Curragh Committee of the Turf Club in accordance with the powers granted to them under Rule and Order 11(v) of the Rules & Orders of the Turf Club. 10. Future regulations to be observed will be indicated by a circular letter from the General Manager of the Curragh Racecourse and Training Ground to trainers and permit holders, or by notices erected on the gallops. 11. Gallops are defined by parallel white posts with contrasting coloured tops. Horses may only be exercised between these posts and in the direction facing the distances marked thereon. Horses may only be exercised on gallops in the manner indicated by the color on top of the post as follows:- Black markers Green markers Red markers Blue markers Cantering or faster Fast work only Peat gallops Trial grass or trial peat gallops 12. All peat gallops (excluding the broad peats) and trial gallops are available on application to the Training Grounds Manager on the day prior to being required. Details of the gallop, the distance, the time and the number of horses taking part must be supplied when the gallop is being booked. These gallops are for fast work only, except by special permission. 13. No person shall remove any doll or post used for closing or defining the gallops without the permission of the Training Ground Manager. 14. Horses may not be exercised over any portion of ground which is not open for use and horses should not be walked over any portion of the Training Ground which is being used for gallops. 15. Where proper road crossing points are not possible to use, Trainers should implement written safety statements for their staff with regard to using unsigned crossings. 16. Horses may not set off from any point which is not on the actual gallop. 2
17. Jumping in in front of horses of another trainer which have already set off on a gallop is not permitted. 18. Horses not completing the full length of a gallop must not be pulled up to a standstill on the gallop, but must walk off the gallop immediately to avoid oncoming horses. Pulling up rules should be clearly communicated to all riders and should be addressed in Trainers own safety statement. 19. Horses doing slow work on round all weather gallops must do so on the inside of the gallop thereby allowing horses working faster to pass on the outside. 20. The all weather Canter Down on the Flat Rath is strictly to be used as a Canter Down only. 21 Trainers must be aware of their duty to assess risk to their riders in inclement weather conditions and with regard to loose animals on the Curragh plains. 22. Trainers must inform and make their staff aware of the risks involved in using the underground tunnel 23. Dogs are not permitted to be left loose on the Training Ground as they may obstruct or frighten horses when exercising. 24. Driving of a vehicle on the Curragh is not permitted under the 1964 Curragh Bye Laws, and trainers and permit holders must keep their vehicles at all times on the roadways provided. Under no circumstances must vehicles be driven across galloping areas or the Curragh Racecourse. 25. Practice starting stalls shall be available on application to the Curragh Office the day before being required. Trainers should make their own staff aware of the safety and risk issues involved in using training gates. 26. The gates at the entrances to the enclosed portion of the Training Grounds should be kept closed at all times to minimise the possibility of accidents involving loose horses. 27. The opening times of the Training Grounds are as follows:- Monday to Saturday Sunday Curragh Racedays Dawn to 1pm Dawn to 11am Dawn to 12 noon All gallops crossing the racecourse (i.e. Walshes Hill and the Bush gallops) will be closed on the day of and the day prior to a race meeting with the exception of trial ground which will be available by arrangement on the day prior to the race meeting. 3
In the event of adverse weather conditions in advance of a race meeting, these gallops may be closed at the discretion of the Training Ground Manager. 28. Designated times for maintenance of All Weather gallops are as follows: Sand Gallop: 8.00 8.15 Old Vic: 8.00 8.15 (Schooling Ground) 8.30 8.45 9.15 9.30 9.00 9.15 10.00 10.15 9.30 9.45 11.00 11.15 10.00 10.15 12.00 12.15 10.30 10.45 11.00 11.15 11.30 11.45 12.00 12.15 12.30 12.45 Polytrack: 8.30 8.45 9.30 9.45 10.30 10.45 11.30 11.45 29. When the maintenance tractor is on any part of an All Weather gallop, horses are strictly not permitted to go on to the gallop or to commence exercise until the tractor leaves the gallop regardless of the designated maintenance times. 30. Schooling over fences and hurdles is available on Tuesdays and Fridays from dawn until 12 o clock. Schooling outside these times will only be permitted by prior arrangement with the Training Ground Manager. Trainers must carry out a risk assessment and make their staff aware of the safety regulations involved in schooling over fences. 31. The charges to be made for use of trial gallops and schooling facilities will be advised to trainers from time to time. 32. Trainers and Permit Holders may not allow horses which are not under the care of a licensed Curragh Trainer or Permit Holder to exercise with their horse without making certain that the necessary permission has been obtained for these horses. 33. No Trainer or Permit Holder may give orders to an employee of the Turf Club, but any Trainers having a complaint or a suggestion regarding the arrangements of the Training Ground is requested to contact the Training Ground Manager or the Curragh Manager. 34. Every care is taken to ensure that the Training Ground is free from obstructions of any kind, but no responsibility for accidents is accepted by the Turf Club or their agents. 35. It is the responsibility of all Trainers and Permit Holders to ensure that their riders wear an approved skullcap as outlined on Pages 206 and 207 of the 2002 Rulebook. 4
When mounted on horses, all riders must have their chin straps properly adjusted and fastened. It is the Trainers responsibility to ensure their staff are aware of these requirements. Trainers are also required to ensure that their riders use an approved body protector when riding on lands held by the Turf Club. All riders using the Curragh Training Grounds are required to use the correct footwear, namely jodhpur boots or riding boots. Under no circumstances should the footwear described as runners be used. 36. The authorised areas for exercising horses are as follows:- 1. All areas marked off as gallops within the railed in part of the Curragh, including the Schooling Ground. 2. Little Curragh 3. Railway Bank 4. Curragh View 5. Ballymany 6. Lumville 7. Stepaside 8. Maddenstown Outside of these areas horses should be ridden at a walking pace to and from the training areas, and should not be exercised, as this land is not licensed by the Department of Defence for the training of horses. If trainers or permit holders require clarification on these areas please contact the Training Ground Manager. 37. In the event of an accident on the Training Grounds where a rider, (or any other person) requires medical attention, please contact Pat Kelly (087) 8321215 or Richard Brophy (087) 6672556, or the Curragh Office (045) 441205 who will be able to arrange medical attention in the form of a doctor or ambulance. In the event of a horse requiring veterinary attention, trainers are requested to make their own arrangements with their vet. 5