Horse racing is back and what a time to get involved

Brought to you by Horse Racing Ireland – Every Racing Moment

Horse racing's BACK.

The struggle is over, it seems. Those long, lonely and sport-less days of March, April and May are behind us because coming up on the outside, ready to fill that crushing void of a world without competitive sport, are the summer colours of Irish racing. Never before have they seemed so bright. As football, the GAA and golf all finalise return plans, Irish racing has streaked ahead, theirs' set in stone, as they end the famine in style and become the first Irish sport to well and truly return. Having been starved for months, this sporting feast will surely go down a treat. This is no token gesture either. With the flat scene first out of the stalls on June 8 with a card at Naas, horse racing won't be dilly-dallying with its first Classic of the season, the mouthwatering Irish 1000 and 2000 Guineas, set to light up the Curragh on the first weekend back, on June 12 and 13. Better yet, there will be extensive and wide-ranging coverage both on RTÉ and on the Horse Racing Ireland social channels. Indeed, as part of RTÉ's commitment to get behind Irish racing's return, there will be a series of new one-hour evening programmes on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in June and early July while live racing coverage becomes the norm. For long-time and hardened racing followers, this is just a new, re-invigorating boost to the magical game, but for those who may just have gone racing previously as social followers, what a time it is to really immerse yourself in the game of thoroughbreds and to become the racing expert among your mates. Call off the weekend walks, put away the Netflix for a while, racing's back. When tuning in, you're guaranteed to hear terms and subjects that will stump you. Have no fear and look no further.

• Handicapping - The handicap system applies in certain races where each horse is allocated a weight based on their past performances. Horses carrying the highest weight are rated the highest and must concede weight to those with a lower rating. The aim of the system is to equalise the chances of the horses.
• On the bridle - If you hear 'on the bridle' about your horse in the closing stages, things are going very well indeed. A horse who is On the bridle is travelling the pace with minimal effort.
• Run for your money - A horse who has the odds of an outsider but who should be close enough come the finish.
• In the running - A horse who is up near the top of the bunch as the race begins in earnest.

#EveryRacingMoment has the potential to thrill, it's down to you to throw yourself out there! Brought to you by Horse Racing Ireland – Every Racing Moment