Barrier Trials
- Information
- Terms & Conditions
- Make an Entry
- Entries/Results
Irish Thoroughbred Marketing, with the backing of the Irish EBF and the IHRB, stages Barrier Trials to meet the strong demand from overseas for quality unraced thoroughbreds out of Ireland.
Trials dates for 2026 include the following:
Monday 25th May - Naas
Wednesday 26th August - Leopardstown
General Information
- Unraced 2yos and 3yos only.
- Run over six and seven furlongs at Naas & Leopardstown.
- Up to €275 fee depending on the venue.
- Mandatory provision of €110 fee for jockeys.
- Horses entered must be in the care of licensed trainers for at least 14 days and also at a status of 'Racing Active'.
- Horses ridden by licensed Flat jockeys, including apprentices.
- Riders will not weigh out or in, but connections are asked that horses carry a minimum weight of 9-7. Morning exercise / riding out saddles only.
- Horses must be named with Horse Racing Ireland.
- Horses must have a starting stalls certificate.
- Trials begin from starting stalls as in official races.
- No onus or incentive to achieve a best possible placing.
- No prize money.
- Trials recorded, timed, and made available to view online.
- Live stream available on ITM YouTube.
- Terms and conditions apply.
Please note, ITM wishes to accept entries from every stable and it is therefore possible trainers planning larger numbers of entries will be asked to bear this in mind. Trainers who have been the biggest supporters of Barrier Trials to date will be granted the largest pro rata share of entries, provided every other stable can enter first.
- Unraced 2yos and 3yos only.
- Run over six or seven furlongs at Naas and Leopardstown.
- Minimum 70 entries for Trials to go ahead.
- Horses entered must be in the care of licensed Trainers for at least 14 days and also at a status of 'Racing Active'.
- Horses ridden by licensed Flat Jockeys, including apprentices.
- Riders will not weigh out or in, but connections are asked that horses carry a minimum weight of 9-7. Morning exercise / riding out saddles only.
- Horses entered must be named with Horse Racing Ireland.
- Horses must have a valid starting stalls certificate.
- Trials begin from starting stalls as in official races.
- Vaccinations must be in order in compliance with the Rules of Racing and uploaded to the Weatherbys ePassport app.
- Passports must still travel with each horse and be available for inspection by IHRB staff. Horses without passports will not be allowed to take part.
- Trainers who enter a horse in a Barrier Trial do so in the knowledge that the IHRB may take a biological sample for analysis in accordance with the Rules of Racing. In the event of an adverse analytical finding, the Trainer acknowledges and confirms that they are subject to the Rules of Racing and may be subject to disciplinary action in relation to any breach of these Rules. Medications such as Gastrogard and Regumate are prohibited, for example.
- Horses taking part must be at the stabling block at least one hour before their Barrier Trial.
- Horses, trainers, and riders acknowledge and confirm that in participating in the Barrier Trials they are subject to the Rules of Racing and that any breach of same during the Barrier Trials may result in disciplinary action for any licensee concerned.
- Trainers and riders will ensure horses are tacked up and ready to leave the parade ring to go to the start at the appropriate time.
- Participation in a Barrier Trial will cost up to €275 depending on the venue, payable in advance from the owner's account with HRI, with a further €110 payment for the rider.
- Entries not permitted where the owner/breeder associated with the horse has an outstanding Foal Levy debt.
- Owner colours must be worn for the purposes of identification for the commentator and prospective buyers.
- Trials recorded, timed, and made available to view online.
- ITM wishes to accept entries from every stable and it is therefore possible trainers planning larger numbers of entries will be asked to bear this in mind.
- Trainers who have been the biggest supporters of Barrier Trials to date will be granted the largest pro rata share of entries, provided every other stable can enter first.
- In the event of heavy ground, Trials at Naas and Leopardstown will be cancelled.
Entries for Irish EBF Barrier Trials at Naas on Monday, May 25th can be made from 9am on Thursday, May 14th on a form on this page.
Entries for this date will close at 12pm on Wednesday May 20th.
For more information, contact [email protected] or call Jeremy Greene on 00353 (0)87 112 1625.