RACING: The face of Irish racing will change forever in March of 2007 with the projected opening of Ireland's first ever all-weather racetrack in Dundalk. Confirmation of Horse Racing Ireland's decision to provide more than €10 million in funding to Dundalk was provided yesterday by the Minister for Sport, John O'Donoghue.

However, it was a board meeting at racing's ruling body on Monday morning that finally put an end to a long-running and sometimes controversial debate as to where the country's first all-weather track would be built.

The result will be a state-of-the-art complex that will combine greyhound racing, which has been operating since November of 2003, with a floodlit, 10-furlong oval racecourse for horses.

The total cost is projected to reach €19.6 million - €9.3 million of that being provided by Dundalk Racing Ltd along with some third-party investment.

The HRI grant will be 10.276 million, the biggest single allocation of Government money it has provided to date.

"The new all-weather track will make history on a number of fronts," said O'Donoghue yesterday. "It will be the first all-weather course, the first floodlit track and the first to combine a horse and greyhound racing facility.

"It's an ambitious project and I'm sure it will be a wonderful sporting and social asset to Dundalk, the North East and the entire Border region."

HRI's chief executive Brian Kavanagh indicated yesterday the new course could open in early March of 2007 and said the possibility of kicking off that year's flat season at the new track was open to discussion.

"We are looking at 10 consecutive meetings on a Friday or a Saturday evening in the spring and another block of 10 in the autumn. Overall there will be 25 meetings in the first year and that will mean at least an extra 175 flat races," he said.

The Dundalk chairman Leo McCauley declared: "I'm delighted with HRI's decision to support our ambitious plans. We look forward to building a facility the industry will be proud of."

That venue will include an extended grandstand, toward which Bord na gCon will contribute 2 million.

Yesterday's official announcement finally brought to an end six years of work and negotiation by the Dundalk Racing Company, which at times has clashed with HRI over the suitability of the site for an all-weather course. In 2002 HRI rejected Dundalk's application on the grounds it was not a purpose-built green-field site.

A further application was rejected the following year because the track layout was judged unsuitable. HRI also wanted a new track to stage jump racing, something that was halted at England's all-weather courses owing to the high number of horse casualties.

When negotiations reopened last year concerns were raised about the distance to Dundalk from the major training centres in the south of the country but, with other potential sites ruled out for various reasons, Dundalk ultimately emerged as the only serious contender.

"Everyone wants the all-weather on their own doorstep but what has to be remembered is that the proposal went out to every racecourse and Dundalk has emerged as the strongest," said Kavanagh yesterday.

"Access to Dundalk is first-class now and the distance from the Curragh is no more than to many other racecourses. It's also halfway between Belfast and Dublin and it means that Dundalk (which stopped racing in 2001) is not lost. It should also not be forgotten that they are bringing €9.3 million of external investment to the industry."

Under the terms of the grant, HRI will get a "golden share" - or a preference shareholding - in Dundalk Racing (1999) Ltd and a right to appoint three directors to the board. The body will also get a joint first charge on the entire site as security for the grant.

"It's just normal good business practice," explained Kavanagh. "The directors will be in place to make sure we are all on the same wavelength in terms of the directions we're going."

O'Donoghue also announced Killarney racecourse would receive €1.7 million from HRI. The money, which comes from the Capital Development Fund, will be used to build a new weighroom at the picturesque track.

The new development will also include a new bar and dining area, which will be used by the Ross Golf Club on non-race days.

Almost 110 million in grants for course development is to be distributed by Horse Racing Ireland in the next few years, and its chairman, Denis Brosnan, thanked O'Donoghue yesterday for the Government's continued contribution to racing.

New course will be a 10-furlong oval also containing a five-furlong sprint course.

In 2007, 25 meetings are planned, including two blocks of 10 evening fixtures to be run under floodlights. One block will be in spring, the other in autumn.

The total cost will be €19.6 million, including €9.3 million from Dundalk along with third-party investment.

Along with a stand extension, there will be a new weighroom, a new parade ring and stabling for 130 horses.

Dundalk's first year will result in 175 extra flat races in Ireland in 2007.