Down Royal racecourse, tradition reborn
/By Lissa Oliver
Down Royal racecourse in Northern Ireland boasts a heritage as regal as its name. They have been racing on the course since the early 18th century—the land originally donated by the first Marquess of Downshire, but its history goes back even further. In 1685, King James II issued a Royal Charter and formed the Down Royal Corporation of Horse Breeders. In 1750, King George II donated £100 to run the King’s Plate, a race still run today as one of the summer’s highlights, the 2800m Listed Her Majesty’s Plate. The Ulster Derby, now a premier handicap, is the most valuable Flat race hosted by the track, but Down Royal is best loved for the National Hunt Festival held at the start of November and headlined by the Champion Chase.
Inevitably, a rich history must also include challenges and threats and the racecourse has been no exception. As recently as last year the course faced the prospect of closure, its operators, Down Royal Corporation of Horse Breeders, signalling intent to cease operations in October. Fortunately, owners Merrion Property Group took over the running of the course from January of this year and it has been business as usual.
Emma Meehan CEO
With a bright new future and lofty ambitions, Manager Emma Meehan is charged with seeing those aims achieved, but the path ahead remains fraught with new challenges, not least the spectre of Brexit. Based in the UK, but under the authority of the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (IHRB), places Down Royal in a tricky position and the timing of the NH Festival opening on 1 November could bring unknown difficulties.
“The impact of any change in the current Tripartite Agreement could create initial difficulties”, Meehan recognises. “We remain in limbo regarding Brexit and continue to communicate with DAERA and the IHRB. We are ready to react to support the passage of runners and riders to our flagship festival on Friday 1 November and Saturday 2 November and beyond. The landscape is changing daily at British Parliamentary level; a general election could be on the cards very soon. Whatever the outcome, we will adapt to any new requirements and ensure we provide maximum assistance to our owners and trainers”.
Facing the unknown isn’t new territory to Meehan and she joined Down Royal at a particularly difficult time, following a successful 14 years as marketing manager at Dundalk Racing Stadium. “I found the transition in the early stages tumultuous to say the least”, she admits. “I likened it to trying to put a jigsaw puzzle back together again and I had to figure out where pieces were and, indeed, that some individuals were holding some of those pieces behind their backs. It was a challenging phase, but one that I grew from personally.
“Fast-forward to now; nine months on and I have a wonderful team and I couldn’t be happier.
The support I have received from Merrion Property Group and their progressive mind-frame has complimented my thinking at all levels. Merrion Property Group have a vision for Down Royal, with racing centric to that vision. We have a five-year investment strategy in the pipeline to bring the facilities, both for the social racegoers and racing fraternity, in line with a Grade 1 track, and modernising in tandem. I’m very excited about the changes afoot at Down Royal”.
In the modern landscape, investing in a racecourse doesn’t seem the best of ventures, particularly a ‘fixer-upper’ in property agent parlance, but Merrion Property Group bought the racecourse as far back as 2006 and saw the end of the lease with the Down Royal Corporation of Horse Breeders as an opportunity to run its own racing-centred business from the track.
“The overall site and infrastructure at Down Royal are huge. Continuous investment is fundamental to remaining competitive in the industry and providing a best in class environment for owners, trainers, bookmakers, punters and all the services and supports which go into racing”, Meehan explains.
“Our aim is to provide memorable and sociable experiences for groups, businesses and sports people, looking to bring together racing, good food and entertainment. Our investment compliments this objective”.
She sees the importance and influence of a community vital and central to the objectives of the new management. “It’s hugely important that the racecourse is the epicentre of the local community, and it’s our intention to embrace the community through several initiatives. Looking ahead to 2020, we are choosing local charities to collect at our gates, ensuring that the platform and the opportunity to raise monies is directed back to our charitable community partners. …