STEP inside the abandoned racecourse dubbed a ‘suburb of Chernobyl’ after it was left to rot for years following its closure.
Weeds climb the fences that punters once lined to watch greats of the sport including wondermare Dawn Run.
Racingfotos.comThe once-thriving ring and grandstand is now overgrown with weeds and left to crumble[/caption]
Racingfotos.comWith rust covering the railings and not a soul in sight, Tralee racecourse is now said to resemble a ‘suburb of Chernobyl’[/caption]
A sign that not all that long ago welcomed fans now sits alongside one telling anyone who dares venture near to beware because of ‘guard dogs roaming’.
Another warns ‘enter at your own risk’ as long wispy grass covers the once perfectly-manicured surface.
This is the sight of what was Tralee racecourse in Co Kerry, Ireland.
Once a hugely popular track that had the likes of 2003 Grand National winner Monty’s Pass run there and 2006 Oaks heroine Alexandrova.
This was where Imperial Call’s final schooling session took place before he won the 1996 Gold Cup.
Frankie Dettori – who today announced his shock retirement U-turn – also turned up.
It was a venue great horses and trainers flocked to, a track where it was said ‘if they can win there, they can win anywhere’.
Sadly, Tralee, which had racing as far back as 1898, was closed for good in October 2008.
Kerry Gaelic football team were due to build their new stadium on the property as part of the rumoured £40million sale agreed the year before.
But the ripple effect of the devastating economic crash that hit the country meant that move was ‘parked’ in December 2009.
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It never materialised, with the land being used only intermittently since for point-to-point meetings and pony racing.
The Irish Independent said Tralee now resembles an ‘abandoned suburb of Chernobyl’ – site of the infamous nuclear disaster in 1986.
Now all that’s left are rabbits – and those guard dogs – as well as once-packed bars turned into buildings now barely able to stand up.
Rust covers the railings on the uncovered grandstand while the main building crumbles, unloved against the elements.
There were plans to have, in addition to the stadium, 38 three-bedroom houses, 26 two-bedroom houses, a shopping centre and retail park.
But with parts of the planning application rejected, the whole area has ‘drifted into obscurity like a ghost ship’.
Top trainer Michael O’Callaghan grew up near the track and admits it’s heartbreaking to see what it’s become.
He said: “It’s sad for me that it’s gone on a selfish sort of note, that I’ve never been able to train a winner at my local track.
“It’s still sitting there idle.
“There was going to be a sports facility there and a shopping centre or whatever.
“It was going to be a big sort of development but that fell through. And it’s sitting idle which is kind of sad.
“If you were to drive past it now, some of the stands are falling down. It was a great track.”
Sadly, Tralee joins Folkestone as a once-great track now reduced to nothingness.
AlamyThe track used to be a thriving hub of activity[/caption]
Tralee hosted some of the great horses including the awesome Dawn Run but there has been no racing under rules there since 2008
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