The Curragh, Friday 31 January 2025: The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board has published its annual report and accounts for 2023, outlining significant progress throughout the year on a number of initiatives which will enhance and protect the reputation and integrity of Irish horseracing in future years.
The report demonstrates the work carried out by the IHRB throughout the year as the organisation pursued its mission to regulate the Irish horseracing industry with uncompromising integrity, overseeing 493 fixtures across the island of Ireland with a combined total of 38,602 runners. Key highlights include:
- Strategic Planning: In December 2023, the IHRB launched an ambitious Statement of Strategy 2024-2027, setting the blueprint for the next four years of development of the organisation.
- Amendments to Penalty Guidelines:Following extensive consultation with stakeholders, the IHRB introduced new penalty guidelines for breaches of whip and interference rules in July 2023. The impact of these measures was almost immediate, with a marked decrease in whip rule breaches, which reached their lowest level in three years.
- Equine Anti-Doping Programme:The IHRB’s comprehensive anti-doping programme saw 5,866 samples taken and analysed, with just six (0.1%) adverse analytical findings. This continues the organisation’s strong focus on equine anti-doping.
- Financial Governance: The IHRB also began implementing key changes to enhance financial governance, commissioned a review of financial governance by Forvis Mazars and committed to actioning any recommendations arising.
Commenting on the publication of the 2023 Annual Report, IHRB CEO Darragh O’Loughlin said:
“It is the ambition of the Board and management that the IHRB be recognised as a world-class regulator for horseracing, with a continual focus on excellence in integrity, rider safety, and equine welfare.
“2023 was a year of both challenge and progress in the IHRB. We completed the installation of a countrywide racecourse CCTV system, introduced new penalty guidelines for riding offences to help support our Raceday Stewards, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Veterinary Council, and continued to invest in the Equine Injury in Irish Racing Risk Reduction Project to identify and implement measures to reduce the risk of injury to horses in racing.
“I extend my sincere gratitude to our dedicated team of staff and voluntary Raceday Stewards who ensure the highest standards in all the work they do on behalf of the IHRB, and acknowledge the support and passion of the wider horseracing community who make the sport what it is.”