• COLLON RACEWAY DEVELOPMENT FUND – Update 2nd May 2008

• COLLON APRIL UPDATE
• Latest meeting was Wed 30th April 2008.

• A very positive meeting with perhaps the best news so far.

• Wexford has been obtained on same terms as before for 12th July weekend. Still to be confirmed whether 1 day or 2 day meeting.

• A delegation is going to see Dundalk racecourse in the month of May about the possibility of racing at that venue.

• The chairman is currently holding a letter of offer from the Ulster Bank FOR THE ENTIRE AMOUNT REQUESTED for the purchase of the ground. Formalities are now ongoing between the solicitors.

• A first class 8 minute DVD presentation has been produced which will be brought to our meeting with government. Interested parties can watch a copy by arrangement with Mark Flanagan ( Dublin ) Tommy Beattie ( NI ) and Tommy Doyle intends to bring a copy to Cork.

• The chairman is holding correspondence from the Taoiseach’s office.

• Over 100 members so far. The greatest hindrance to our progress is the fact that some members have signed up but not paid up. We await payment from 7 NI based members, 17 Dublin based members and 6 Cork based members. We appeal to these members to pay up their dues because chasing the payments is taking up valuable committee time.

• If you're still thinking about it, shape up and pay up because the Collon project is going to go ahead – with or without you.

• Next update late May. 

• COLLON RACEWAY DEVELOPMENT FUND – Update 31st March 2008.

• Latest meeting of committee was Wed 26th March.

• Committee met with production team to make promotional DVD for initial meeting with government ministers.

• Membership numbers continue to grow – there were several high profile new members signed up in February and March. Several committee members expressed disappointment at number of trotting men who had promised to join but as yet had not paid in any money. If you are reading this update, and fall into this category please pay in your cheque or start your Standing Order. The committee members do not enjoy having to ‘ plead ‘.

• Committee are currently looking at 4 venues around Dublin for grass track racing in 2008. ( 3 fields 1 hard track )

• Irish Grand Circuit looks like it will consist of 6 meetings in 2008. 3 meetings in Dublin or NI. One possible meeting at Wexford and 2 meetings in Cork.

• Committee applied for the following dates to IHRC.

• Cork – Aug 10th and 11th.
• Aug 31st and Sept 7th.

• Dublin / NI. June 15th, June 22nd, July 27th – venues to be confirmed.

• Wexford – assuming we can get racecourse – July 13th and 14th.

• If the Irish Grand Circuit is to be a success, we need lots of horses, so get your jogcarts painted !

• Next update – late April.

COLLON RACEWAY – UPDATE NO.2 FEB 23rd 2008

• Latest committee meeting Wed 20th Feb in Dundalk.
• Membership still growing considerably.
• Now over 115 members, and total revenue raised since launch approx € 120,000.
• Committee discussed Irish Grand Circuit. Chairman unveiled his plan to create series with over € 100,000 prize money in 2008, if we can obtain venues and the co-operation of horsemen / clubs in Dublin, NI and Cork.
• Yet again, a constructive meeting – the committee are going forwards with one voice.
• There has been an increase in NI members following latest meeting in Chimney Corner and a letter to all NI members.
• Various committee members were selected to prepare a short DVD presentation to be shown to high level government about our project.
• Various committee members were selected to go and ask landowners about use of venues in 2008.
• Horse owners are advised that at this stage there is every chance of racing in 2008 in NI and / or Dublin.

19th January 2008

Collon Raceway Development Fund – Update

• Apologies for the delay in informing interested parties of how things are progressing. Committee meetings are approximately once a month, and our second meeting was on Wed 16th Jan 2008.
• Funds in bank so far – approx € 90,000
• Confirmed members so far – approximately 90
• We will know membership numbers more exactly once all January Standing Orders have cleared the banking system
• The committee have been impressed by the level of support. Trotting Followers from Dublin, Cork and Northern Ireland and some other areas have contributed, this is an All Ireland venture.
• Several of our original larger backers have stated that they are in no hurry to re-coup their original stake. Our Thanks go out to these Trotting Supporters.
• The committee members are pulling together well. Certain committee members are talking to banks about loans, others are speaking to the relevant experts about Grants and finally discussions are ongoing about the costs and practical problems of construction.
• In the meantime Collon Raceway Development Fund are waiting on word from certain parties / venues about the possibility of some racing in the North and Dublin in 2008. Our advice to horse owners is ‘ put those horses into work ‘. A plan is being created to stage an Irish Grand Circuit with racing moving around 6 to 10 well chosen venues and dates between Northern Ireland, Dublin and Cork.
• An information sheet about Collon Raceway will be released soon.

Next update will be late Feb 2008

THIS UPDATE HAS BEEN DRAFTED FOR AND APPROVED BY MARK FLANAGAN, CLUB CHAIRMAN

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUERIES THE COMMITTEE CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING ;

• CHAIRMAN – M FLANAGAN – 086 2698399
• SECRETARY – BERNADETTE KELLY
• TREASURER – RORY BRIDGETTE

TRUSTEES MEMBERS

TOMMY DOYLE JAMES O SULLIVAN

JOE SHERIDAN TOMMY BEATTIE

JOHN MC CORGRAY DEAN RUSSELL 087 1274190

MARK FLANAGAN GER KANE

NICKY HANNON DAN CARLIN dan@thecarlinshome.co.uk

9th November 2007:

Collon Raceway - Important Notice

• Collon Raceway Developement Club
• First AGM of the Collon Raceway Club is on Sunday 18th of November 2007

• Venue: Carlton Hotel Dublin Airport, Old Airport Road, Cloghran, Co Dublin
• Time 3pm Sharp
• Agenda:
• Election of Trustees
• Election of Management Committee
• A.O.B.

• Please note: Persons who did not receive a letter (due to unforseen circumstances) are still invited to attend and become a member on the day
• For more details Contact Mr Mark Flanagan on 0862698399

8th October 2007:

COLLON RACEWAY DEVOLPMENT STATEMENT

Regarding the meeting held in Dublin on Sunday 7th October to discuss the purchase and development of the Collon raceway.

The points below were discussed and agreed in principal, as a basis in going forward with the project.

• Point 1:
• Trustees of the Raceway to be elected, and given the powers to purchase the property.

• Point 2:
• Trustees once elected, are tasked with acquiring a bank loan to purchase the land. The amount that is needed is approx €400,00.00.

• Point 3:
• Trustees are tasked to actively seek available grants for the development of the site.

• Point 4:
• A minimum of fifty people is required to commit to this project.
• Each person will be required to subscribe €1,560.00 per anum to the raceway, by way of a lump sum payment or monthly direct debit of €130.00 (€30.00 per week).
• This payment will be required to pay any loan taken by the Trustees, and the remainder to be used for the development of the Raceway.

• Point 5:
• The Raceway membership target is 150 people. Once this target number has been reached membership will be closed. (This maybe reviewed at a later date).
• If the target of 150 members is met it would mean an annual revenue of €234,000.00 through subscriptions. This would mean approx €180,000.00 net figure after paying back the yearly bank loan commitments. This money will be used to support the development of the raceway.

• Point 6:
• The target date for the opening of the Collon Raceway is the 2010 racing season.
• In the interim this project will endeavour to have an alternative site or sites to hold race meetings throughout this set up period.
• The reason for not planning to race at the Collon Raceway until 2010 is that we feel that we need this time to raise the appropriate funds to develop the Raceway to a high standard. We also feel that we need to build on the amount of horses in training so as to meet the requirements of the facility.

There will be a meeting held for anyone interested in subscribing to this venture at 4pm on the 21st October at a venue to be confirmed on this site later this week.

Membership applications and Direct Debit mandates will be made available on this site later this week.

• Any queries on any of the above points please call:
• Mark Flanagan @ 086-2698399
• Rory Bridgette @ 087-2233761