Horse racing in Ireland industry go from strength to strength. The Irish horse racing industry is today worth €1 billion per annum, employs over 14,000 people, and is a major player on the international scene. In Ireland, the Flat racing season runs from mid-March to mid-November, and comprises races started from stalls, run over 5 to 20 furlongs. These races are held at 23 racecourses, of which 3 run only Flat. National Hunt racing, or Jump racing, is run year-round in Ireland, but the main season takes place from November until the end of April, coinciding with the lull of the flat racing season.
Horse racing in Japan the post Second World War economic boom. The Japan Racing Association was formally established in 1954. The Japan Cup, one of the richest horse races in the world, was inaugurated in 1981. Run at Tokyo's Fuchu Racecourse on the last Sunday in November, it continues to attract thoroughbreds from all over the world. The JRA manages the ten main tracks in Japan. Races at these tracks are called "Chuo Keiba" (meaning "central horse racing"). It provides some of the richest racing in the world. , a typical JRA maiden race for three-year-olds carried a purse of ¥9.55 million (about US$112,000),