The looming possibility of a no-deal Brexit on 29 March has not deterred Ireland’s trainers from making a record entry of 47 horses for the Grand National at Aintree in April, which is due to be run just eight days after the UK is due to leave the European Union. The entry from Ireland is up from 40 last year, when 16 of the eventual 38 runners were Irish-trained, including the first four home.
A no-deal Brexit could pose significant logistical problems for horses travelling from Ireland, however, as it would remove the current certainty of frictionless travel across borders. Predictions of tailbacks at ferry ports would inevitably prompt fears of welfare issues for thoroughbreds moving to and from Britain for racing, breeding or the sales, not least as the majority of horses moving from Ireland to the UK do so by ferry.
The number of Irish-trained runners in Great Britain has risen steadily in recent years, from just over 1,100 in 2014 to 1,504 in 2018. Ireland sent 50 runners to last season’s three-day Aintree Festival meeting, up from 40 in 2017, and 150 to the Cheltenham Festival in March, from where 17 returned home as winners.
The rise in the number of Irish-trained runners in the UK reflects racing’s enduring popularity in a country where the number of individual owners and horses in training continued to rise in 2018. The ease of movement between the two countries has also helped to facilitate the Irish challenge at all levels in Britain, however, and any threat to the status quo is a major concern for racing executives on both sides of the Irish Sea.
“Most Irish-trained horses running at Aintree for the Grand National or at any meeting in Britain travel seamlessly by ferry under the current free movement that exists under the tripartite agreement [between the UK, Ireland and France],” Jonathan Mullin, Horse Racing Ireland’s director of communications and corporate affairs, said. “But a ‘no deal’ will see that agreement fall, and will mean horses moving in and out of the EU must go through a border inspection post.
“Whether that’s a horse travelling to and from Britain for a race or a sale, it will cause disruption and delay.”
Aintree itself, however, remains optimistic that its showpiece event will not suffer in the fallout from even a no-deal Brexit.
Wincanton 1.25 Southfield Stone 1.55 Broughtons Rhythm 2.25 Danse Idol 3.00 Myplaceatmidnight 3.30 Magic Saint 4.00 Caid Du Berlais 4.30 Eritage
Southwell 1.35 Piazon 2.05 Siyahamba 2.40 Melgate Magic (nb) 3.10 Scale Force 3.40 Havelock 4.10 Sooqan
Fakenham 1.45 Regarding Ruth 2.15 Emerald Chieftan 2.50 Heresmynumber 3.20 Coole Well 3.50 Brandon Castle 4.20 Edgar
Newcastle 4.05 Champagne Rules (nap) 4.40 Bobby Joe Leg 5.15 One One Seven 5.50 Cuppacoco 6.25 Deansgate 7.00 Eve Harrington 7.30 Lion Hearted 8.00 Roaring Rory
“We recognise the huge amount of uncertainty surrounding Brexit right now,” a spokesperson for the track said, “but the government has issued clear guidance that the import of thoroughbreds from the EU into the UK will not be impacted even in a no-deal Brexit scenario as the UK will replicate current systems.
.”