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Fairyhouse Racecourse Clears Timing Hurdle
Fairyhouse Racecourse leads the way in consistent, centimetre accurate, sectional timing data with IHRB approved low-cost, ground-breaking Trimble GPS system.
Wednesday, 22 November 2023
The Trimble Catalyst system is a game changer and we’ve got plans to customise it further...It could be an amazing tool for the industry.
There have been longstanding concerns about the accuracy of sectional times in Irish race meetings particularly following some high-profile queries on race distances. However, Irish racing is addressing the problem and leading the way is Fairyhouse Racecourse, one of the country’s premier horse racing venues and home of the Irish Grand National.
In the world of horse racing, where comparisons related to pace, ground conditions and distance are paramount for form-study, the accuracy of furlong distance measurement is of utmost importance. Equally crucial is ensuring that the furlong measurements align with the timings displayed on television broadcasts.
Fairyhouse has proactively addressed this issue with the adoption of a centimetre accurate GPS solution that they have customised for the production of highly accurate maps of every course circuit for each of its twenty-one annual meetings. Under the guidance of Fairyhouse General Manager, Peter Roe and Track Foreman, Richard Stapleton, the course has rigorously tested, implemented, and secured approval from both the IHRB and CourseTrack (tasked with introducing sectional timing by 01/24) for its new Trimble Catalyst GPS system.
The system was purchased from Trimble distributor and geospatial specialists, KOREC. Peter Roe is especially aware of the racing industry’s increasing demand for precise data, numbers, and information for assessing a horse’s form correctly. “Unfortunately, traditional survey methods that rely on measuring wheels have proved inadequate in delivering accurate furlong measurements to the extent that we’ve had races where all seven runners appeared to break the track record. Subsequent checks revealed that the race was run over a shorter distance than initially advertised. Extensive testing by Fairyhouse of wheel measurements compared to our new survey level Trimble GPS have revealed discrepancies as high as 32m over an 8-furlong race.”
As the first racecourse to independently look at the technology that could assist with accurate furlong measurement for sectional timing data, both Peter and Richard were keen to implement a system that not only worked for them, but would be easily usable by other interested racecourses.
Read Full Details of Trimble Catalyst System
In the world of horse racing, where comparisons related to pace, ground conditions and distance are paramount for form-study, the accuracy of furlong distance measurement is of utmost importance. Equally crucial is ensuring that the furlong measurements align with the timings displayed on television broadcasts.
Fairyhouse has proactively addressed this issue with the adoption of a centimetre accurate GPS solution that they have customised for the production of highly accurate maps of every course circuit for each of its twenty-one annual meetings. Under the guidance of Fairyhouse General Manager, Peter Roe and Track Foreman, Richard Stapleton, the course has rigorously tested, implemented, and secured approval from both the IHRB and CourseTrack (tasked with introducing sectional timing by 01/24) for its new Trimble Catalyst GPS system.
The system was purchased from Trimble distributor and geospatial specialists, KOREC. Peter Roe is especially aware of the racing industry’s increasing demand for precise data, numbers, and information for assessing a horse’s form correctly. “Unfortunately, traditional survey methods that rely on measuring wheels have proved inadequate in delivering accurate furlong measurements to the extent that we’ve had races where all seven runners appeared to break the track record. Subsequent checks revealed that the race was run over a shorter distance than initially advertised. Extensive testing by Fairyhouse of wheel measurements compared to our new survey level Trimble GPS have revealed discrepancies as high as 32m over an 8-furlong race.”
As the first racecourse to independently look at the technology that could assist with accurate furlong measurement for sectional timing data, both Peter and Richard were keen to implement a system that not only worked for them, but would be easily usable by other interested racecourses.
Read Full Details of Trimble Catalyst System