Irish racing was left scrambling for answers on Friday after the shock closure of Thurles racecourse.
The country’s sole privately-owned track was shut with immediate effect by the Molony family, who have owned it for over a century. The move appeared to blindside the entire sport and industry. It is the first racecourse closure in Ireland since Tralee closed its doors in 2008.
Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), racing’s ruling body, also looks to have been caught unawares by the move. It is believed the decision was made, partly at least, based on business costs.
A statement from racecourse boss Riona Molony pointed to how her four daughters, who were also involved in running the track, have their own families, careers and lives to live.
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Molony, who took over the running of Thurles following the death of her husband, Pierce, in 2015, added: “Ever-increasing industry demands and the cost of doing business has also been a major factor.”
Champion trainer Willie Mullins described the news as a major shock. He said: “It will be a huge blow for Irish racing, more specifically Irish jump racing and winter jump racing. Thurles is a track that always had beautiful ground in the winter when other tracks couldn’t.”
Thurles is licensed to race until the end of this year and has been allotted 11 meetings for the 2025-2026 season which will now be up for grabs to other racecourses.
There was no response from HRI to queries about where fixtures and races will go to, or whether it could even acquire Thurles. There are four tracks on HRI’s racecourse division. They are Leopardstown, Navan, Fairyhouse and Tipperary, where a new all-weather circuit is planned.
Suzanne Eade, CEO of HRI, described Thurles as a “cornerstone” of the National Hunt programme and said its closure was a surprise to everyone.
She said: “I am sure this announcement was a hugely difficult one for Riona Molony and her daughters Patricia, Helen, Ann Marie and Kate. I respect their decision to take a step back from running racing at Thurles.
“I will be seeking a meeting with the Molony family in the near future to discuss their position.”
In February, jockey Michael O’Sullivan suffered fatal injuries in a fall at Thurles. The tragedy of his death continues to cast a pall over the sport.
An Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board review of the incident found there was no fault on the part of the track, although it recommended a watering system be put in place. The lack of such a system was also felt when three fixtures were cancelled last year due to ground conditions.
What future the racecourse site has, or whether it can be saved for racing, is up in the air. Although it was not glamorous, the track was vital in providing a decent racing surface during the depths of winter when many others couldn’t.
Thurles was the scene of first career victories for subsequent top jockeys AP McCoy and Rachael Blackmore. Among the top horses to run there were Vintage Crop, the 1993 Melbourne Cup winner, who won his first race at Thurles in 1991 at odds of 20/1.
