Historic course's closure announcement is sad news

RACING is full of shocks - this space last week highlighted the success of 150-1 outsider Qirat in the Sussex Stakes at Glorious Goodwood - and another came two days later when it was announced Thurles racecourse in Ireland would shut with immediate effect.

- James BURN

The country's only privately owned venue, Thurles has hosted racing of some sort for nearly 300 years and was where AP McCoy and Rachael Blackmore partnered their first winners.

As atrack that provided decent ground in the winter, it more than had its place in the soul of Irish jump racing; indeed some have described it as the heartbeat of the code.

Tragedy struck there earlier in the year when jockey Michael O'Sullivan died following a fall at the track, which no doubt affected the Molony family, who have owned Thurles since the early 1900s.

“Ever-increasing industry demands and the cost of doing business has also been a major factor,” they added.