Dundalk Stadium
Dundalk Stadium have lost their seven-year court battle with bookmakers following a High Court ruling earlier today.
After seven days of hearing the case, Judge Gerard Hogan gave his findings just before lunchtime and ruled that longstanding senior bookmakers at Dundalk should not have to pay an €8,000 fee to bet at the all-weather track, which opened in 2007.
Bookmakers had argued that they already had a pitch at the old Dundalk venue and that they should not have to pay again.A
Dundalk, supported by the Association of Irish Racecourses, had claimed that the facility at Dowdallshill was a new racecourse, owned by a new company, Dundalk Racing 1999, whose 13-strong board comprised just three members from the old racecourse company.
However, the judge found against them meaning the stand-off with bookies is now at an end. It remains to be seen how many will return to the track in the coming weeks, however, with layer Brian Graham heavily critical of Horse Racing Ireland’s role in the dispute.
Speaking to the Irish Racing Post following the ruling, he said: “Seven years is something that should never have happened. Three bookmakers were in the witness box, including me. There was precedence with Limerick moving to Patrickswell and Mallow changing its name to Cork. The seniority of bookmakers stood in both cases.”
Graham added: “The biggest disappointment from my point of view is how HRI’s performance left so much to be desired. They were there to regulate us. They have seen this all before, they’ve seen seniority stand before. We have regulations and rules to work by. They should have stuck to the pitch rules, which are the backbone for bookmakers.”
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