Racenews Newslink Archive - Monday, May 26, 2003

Monday, May 26, 2003

PUNCHESTOWN AND PICTUREHOUSE JOIN FORCES FOR FIRST-EVER NATIONAL HUNT EVENING RACE MEETING ON MAY 29

Picturehouse will star at the ‘Friends of Punchestown’ Evening Meeting on Thursday May 29..

The first race is off at 6.00 pm and the trendy and popular band will perform after racing in the Grandstand where a BBQ will also take place throughout the evening.

This is the first-ever National Hunt Evening Race meeting to take place at Punchestown and it has received tremendous local support, four of the seven races on the card are sponsored by ‘Friends of Punchestown’, a consortium of local businesses and bloodstock industry members.

Cill Dara Security, Dillon Plant Hire and Stephen Grainger Haulage, all based locally, are the sponsors of the three more valuable races on the card.

The feature race is the Dillon Plant Hire Handicap Chase, now a 0 – 135 Handicap, which is sure to encourage a competitive field.

The supporting card consists of a Maiden hurdle, a 74 - 116 Handicap hurdle, a Beginners Steeplechase of €17,500, a Novice Hurdle also of €17,500, a Conditions Hurdle and a I.N.H. Flat Race.

Commenting on the introduction of this new race meeting, racecourse manager Dick O’ Sullivan stated: “Having achieved record attendances and betting figures at our Irish National Hunt Festival, we are determined to keep improving these on an annual basis and have therefore introduced a new dimension to our first-ever National Hunt Evening Race Meeting.

“The performance by the popular ‘Picturehouse’ rock band and the BBQ should bring a lively atmosphere to this meeting, which we are delighted to stage and we hope that it will become an annual fixture at Punchestown.”

For old articles (from 1st March 2000) go to the Newslink Archive