2009 Review of Irish Horse Racing

2009 was a remarkable year on the track for Irish racing due to the talent of our breeders, trainers and riders. Despite some nervousness about the strength of our team, the Irish pulled off a remarkable nine winners at the Cheltenham Festival in March. Willie Mullins and Ruby Walsh took over the Punchestown Festival, and a host of promising young horses emerged to succeed the stars who had become household names in recent years. On the flat, it was almost total domination of the major races of Europe. Irish horses filled the first four places in the 2,000 Guineas, the first five in the Epsom Derby, a one two in the Coral Eclipse, they made up the entire field of the Juddmonte International at York and mopped up the major end of season two year old races, including a fourth successive Dewhurst Stakes. Yeats won a record breaking fourth Ascot Gold Cup.