Punchestown Unveil Track Expansion Plans

The Punchestown Festival gets underway in Kildare tomorrow and will see well over 100,000 attendees cross the threshold during the five days of top class National Hunt Racing.

The eyes of management will not only be on the turnstiles though, but on the future as well, with plans unveiled for developments on the track to follow on from the expansion of facilities over recent years.

The development will see the 2018 Racecourse of the Year widen the finishing straight by 35 metres, extend a 650 metre chute at the turn out of the back straight into recently acquired land and expand water storage facilities in both areas.

A number of additional upgrade works will also complete this overall track development strategic plan including extending the tarmac ambulance road, the introduction of a new sand canter to the two mile start location and a full review of the irrigation system at the racecourse.

The plan will secure and future proof water sources, providing an approximate ten-fold increase over the current water storage capacity at the venue. Coupled with this, the track also plans to review and invest in a long term irrigation system.

Throughout the past twenty years, the development and enhancement of the racing surface has been central to the long term strategy of the racecourse. The track has transformed during that time with the addition of over 100 acres of ground being gradually introduced as additional racing surface.

This has allowed Punchestown to safeguard its fixtures, provide fresh ground at all meetings and ensure ideal ground conditions for the jump season grand finale each April.

An application for planning permission will be lodged shortly and if planning is granted it is proposed that construction will commence after the 2020 Punchestown Festival.

“Central to all strategic plans at Punchestown has been the track and our ability to deliver top quality racing ground throughout the season with particular focus on the annual festival,” said David Mongey, Punchestown Chairman.

“Without a top level racing surface we do not attract the best horses and that is integral to the continued success of Punchestown. The plan will sustain growth and opportunity and that is the anchor of any successful business.”

“Punchestown is more than just a racecourse,” added CEO Conor O’Neill. “It is an enterprise that creates and sustains employment, the festival generates around €60 million for the local economy but very importantly it is also an amenity for the people of the area.”

“Everything stems back to the success of the venue as a racecourse and from this community, charity and commercial events are grown. The future viability of the racecourse will be safeguarded with the implementation of this development and now is the time to make it happen.”

This will be O’Neill’s first year as CEO having stepped up from Commercial Manager after last year’s Festival. He replaces Dick O’Sullivan who had been General Manager at the track and overseen its salvation and massive growth over the past near two decades.