FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Entries & Declarations

Entries & Declarations

If a horse has been declared to run but has been balloted out of the race (including being a reserve that does not run), there will be no charges/fees to the owner.
Provisional Summaries and sections of the Irish Racing Calendar relating to the entries can all be viewed on the RAS website (www.hri-ras.ie ) under the Race Programmes option.
An entry or declaration can only be cancelled up to their respective deadlines. Once the deadlines have passed the entry or declaration will stand.
At the time of entry the only qualification requirements that are checked by the system are the age, sex and handicap mark of the animal. There are many other factors that may come into play e.g. EBF eligibility, novice status, maiden status etc. These factors are manually checked AFTER entries have closed and if a horse is not qualified for the race due to any of these, the horse will appear at weights stage as NQ. At this stage the entry is removed but the entry fee is still charged to the owner.
As long as the horse has not won a chase he can then go back to run in a maiden hurdle.
Entries can be made through the RAS website or by fax on the official entry form. Entries can NEVER be accepted on the telephone. 12 noon is the deadline for all entries with no additions allowed after this stage.
The full list of ballot rules can be viewed on the RAS website under the “HRI Directives” option. Alternatively any queries relating to the balloting system can be directed to the Racing Department.

Declaration of non-runners or reserves are no longer accepted at a race meeting.

Trainers now have the option to declare non-runners and reserves directly on the HRI RÁS system. Non-runners/reserves can be made via the HRI RAS system any time after publication of Rider Nominations for the meeting while they can continue to use the IHRB dedicated non-runner/reserve line (045-445645).

Trainers are reminded the deadline for declaring reserves to run is by 10am or 11am (*see below) while the deadline for non-runners is by 90 minutes before the time of the first race. However, to allow reserves the chance to run, non-runners must be declared by 10am/11am.

You must declare a rider for a reserve if not already declared no later than the cut off time for reserves i.e. 10am or 11am as appropriate. Failure to nominate a rider by this time shall render the declaration of the reserve invalid. You must also declare by the cut off time if a rider expects to carry overweight of 2lbs.

 *The cut off time for the declaration of reserves will be 10am for November, December and January (except Dundalk) and 11am for the rest of the year and for all meetings at Dundalk.

Declarations can be done through the RAS website or by telephone at 00 353 45 455422. 10am is the deadline for Declarations with no additions allowed after this time.
Please contact The Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board (045 445600) to arrange a date and location for a stalls test to take place. The stalls cert will be lodged by the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board starter with HRI prior to declarations closing otherwise the horse will not be permitted to race.
For the purpose of the 2022/2023 National Hunt Season: "Novice" for steeplechase races means a horse which has not won a steeplechase prior to 1st May 2022 other than one hunters steeplechase in the previous two National Hunt seasons. However, any horse which wins a steeplechase for the first time (hunters steeplechase excluded) from 1st February 2022 up to and including 30th April 2022 (other than a Grade 1 Weight For Age Steeplechase) will be qualified as a Novice for the period up to and including the 4th December 2022.
For the purpose of the 2022/2023 National Hunt Season: "Novice" for hurdle races means a horse which has not won a hurdle race prior to 1st May 2022. However, any horse which wins a hurdle race for the first time from 1st February 2022 up to and including 30th April 2022 (other than a Grade 1 Weight For Age Hurdle) will be qualified as a Novice for the period up to and including the 4th December 2022.
Entries can be made through RÁS under Race Entries and 'Create Foreign Race Entry'. Entries can also be made by email to [email protected] or by fax to 045 455423 by submitting a foreign entry form to the Entries Department in HRI. If making the entry directly to Weatherbys in the UK a telephone call (0044 1933 440011) or fax (0044 1933 276151) will be accepted. Declarations must be done directly through Weatherbys.
All overseas entries must be made through their own racing authorities. The districts vary so it is best to consult with the home racing authorities to confirm their deadlines. The International Racing Bureau (IRB) can also be contacted at 0044 1638668881. UK trainers make entries through Weatherbys UK and Irish entries close with Weatherbys @11 a.m. the morning of entry.
The draw for a flat race is carried out once declarations are closed. The stall number for each horse is selected randomly by computer.
See HRI Directive 9 (Division of Races) for full details.
A stalls cert is not required if the horse has raced out of stalls when previously trained outside of Ireland. However the trainer must submit written confirmation that the horse has raced out of stalls in the past.
The Publications Department must be informed, by fax (045 455423) or email ([email protected]), within 48 hours of where the horse ran, the date and the finishing position.
No, if there is a non-runner in a race and the trainer of a reserve is offered the opportunity to race, the trainer is not obliged to run their horse. The horse will be considered balloted out of the race and there will be no entry or declaration charge. The trainer of a non runner is obliged to contact each of the reserves.
Tongue strap, cheekpieces, blinkers, visor, hood, eye shield and eye cover must all be declared with HRI. 10am is the deadline for the declaration of any extras. However, should a Trainer make an error in the declaration of headgear or tongue strap, the error may be corrected by notification to the Racing Department of Horse Racing Ireland by telephone (045-455422) of any such correction by 12 noon on the day fixed for the declaration of runners.

Below is a simple guide to when entries close in the UK and what days an Irish licensed trainer must follow. 

RACEDAY

 UK ENTRIES 
(Closing in GB)

UK ENTRIES
(Closing in IRE) at12noon

Monday

Tuesday

Previous Friday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Monday

Wednesday

Thursday

Tuesday

Thursday

Friday

Wednesday

Friday

Saturday

Thursday

Saturday

Monday

Previous Friday

Sunday

Monday

Previous Friday
When a horse is declared to run and is subsequently balloted out of the race, the horse is given a “ballot date”. This “ballot date” is the date of the race meeting that was due to be held from which the horse was balloted. A “ballot date” can influence the position the horse holds in the ballot list for certain races. Please refer to HRI Directive 10 for full details.
A forfeit is a stage that occurs in an early closing race. By declaring forfeit, the trainer will be taking the horse out of the race and avoiding that forfeit fee. If staying in the race the trainer does not need to do anything and the horse will automatically be left in the race. The owner will then be charged that forfeit fee.
A horse by an EBF stallion is eligible to enter the EBF race programme throughout Europe for its entire racing career. EBF eligibility is based on the crop produced by the sire on an annual basis. EBF eligibility can be viewed on the EBF website (www.ebfhorseracing.com) or by ringing the Entries Department.
When making a Declaration on the racing administration system RÁS you will need your Trainer Account No. Pin No. & Password, the meeting number & race letter. Over the telephone, you will need your Trainer Account No & Pin No, the meeting number & race letter.
When making an entry by fax/paper you will need the Trainer Account number, the meeting number, race letter & the horse’s owner. If making the entry through the RÁS website, you will need your Trainer Account No, Pin No & Password the meeting number & race letter.
Riders must be confirmed by 12noon on the morning of Declarations unless otherwise stated. The rider can be changed at any stage up to this deadline.
It provides "live" information in relation to the number of entries or declarations in a particularly race at a given time. The Declaration Status will confirm any current weight rise and it will also give what ballot number is getting into a race via the Ballot Sequence column - this is a guide only and is subject to change even after the deadline.
Vaccinations must be uploaded and approved for clearance to run by 5pm the day entries close for that meeting.

The exact date of closing for a particular meeting can be found in the Irish Racing Calendar but below is a simple guide:

Raceday Entry
(Closes 12 noon)		 Weights
(Published 11.30am)		 Declarations(Close 10am)
& ONOR(Closes 12.00pm)
Monday Wednesday Thursday Saturday
Tuesday Thursday Friday Sunday
Wednesday Thursday Friday Monday
Thursday Thursday Friday Tuesday
Friday Monday Tuesday Wednesday
Saturday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday
Sunday Tuesday Wednesday Friday

A horse shall not be qualified to start for an I.N.H. flat race if:

a. It has run in a Flat race or Steeplechase.

b. It has run in a Hurdle race as a three year old.

c. It has run in more than two Hurdle races.

d. It has won a Hurdle race.

All conditions/qualifications can be found in the race articles in the Irish Racing Calendar and the Race Planning Section on the RÁS website. The race article can also be viewed when making an entry on RÁS by expanding 'View Race Article' which appears above the available horses for the race. The Entries & Declarations Department can clarify any queries you may have on these.
When running the ballot for a particular race, who owns or trains the horse does not come into consideration. The ballot is based solely on the criteria of the horse in comparison to the other entries in the race.
After evaluating the race from entry stage, the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board Handicapper has decided not to issue a handicap mark to the horse or the mark allotted to the horse is outside the rating band of the race. It is best to contact the handicapper directly if there are any queries in relation to this.