Horse Racing Ireland Releases 2005 Fixture List
The racing fixtures for 2005 were released today (Wednesday, 28th July) by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), the National Authority for Racing.
The key points are as follows:
1. Total Number of Fixtures
The total number of fixtures has risen from 305 to 313.
The racecourses gaining fixtures in 2005 are Ballinrobe, Bellewstown (+2 with a new two-day meeting in August), the Curragh, Fairyhouse, Gowran Park, Killarney, Naas, Sligo, Tipperary and Wexford.
The two racecourses losing fixtures (at their request, for track maintenance reasons) are Down Royal (-2) and Punchestown (-1).
It is recognised that adjustments will have to be made to some of the prize money minimum value levels to fund these extra meetings.
2. Monthly Distribution of Fixtures/Races
The HRI Board prioritised two main areas of the 2005 Fixture List for making improvements in terms of horse population requirements.
The first objective was to provide an additional allocation of Flat races during the initial part of the season (i.e. up to the end of May), which has historically suffered from a stuttering start. While the 2005 Flat programme will not be completed for several months, it is anticipated that some 30 extra Flat races will be available during this period due to a re-distribution of fixtures and the addition of several new Flat meetings, including two in April at Gowran Park and Naas.
The second objective was to build on the improvements to the winter jumping programme in January-March for 2004 by enhancing the pre-Christmas period for National Hunt horses, and this has been achieved by the addition of three extra fixtures in the key months of November and December.
3. Major Festivals
The Fairyhouse Easter Festival will be run on the earlier than normal dates of Sunday 27th to Tuesday 29th March. There will then be a four week gap to the Punchestown Festival, which runs from Tuesday 26th to Friday 29th April. Galway is scheduled from 25th to 30th July, with the Listowel Festival running from 18th to 24th September. The Flat season will commence at the Curragh on Sunday 20th March and conclude at Leopardstown on Sunday 6th November, with the principal highlight being the Budweiser Irish Derby Festival staged on 24th to 26th June.
4. Saturday Evenings
There are 10 Saturday evening fixtures scheduled on 9 dates in 2005. The Board has agreed that for any Saturday evening date to be retained in the Fixture List, it must achieve the national average attendance of 5,000 spectators. As a consequence, a number of racecourses have either had Saturday evenings removed (Cork, Limerick, Wexford) following their staging of the meeting this year or have not been granted dates which they requested on the basis of this minimum crowd requirement.
The schedule of Saturday evenings for 2005 is shown below:
May 7th Kilbeggan (NH)
May 14th Naas (F)
May 28th Punchestown (NH)
June 4th Kilbeggan (NH)
July 2nd Leopardstown (F) & Limerick (NH)
July 9th Fairyhouse (NH)
July 23rd Leopardstown (F)
August 6th Kilbeggan (NH
August 13th Tramore (Mixed)
The following racecourses will stage a Saturday evening fixture for the first time in 2005 - Fairyhouse, Naas, Punchestown and Tramore, with the other six meetings at the successful venues of Kilbeggan (three), Leopardstown (two) and Limerick (one). This policy was considered equitable to racecourses and will allow HRI to further determine which venues work on a Saturday evening, especially as the racecourses concerned will be able to concentrate their efforts on a sole venture.
Commenting on the 2005 Fixture List, HRI's Director of Racing Jason Morris stated:-'Horse Racing Ireland's aim is to put on racing at the times and places which will suit racegoers and consequently grow attendances throughout the year .We believe that Saturday evening racing, well positioned and promoted, will produce significant gains for racegoers and racecourses alike. We have also aimed to deliver a well-balanced Fixture List which will provide for the needs of the growing horse population, particularly with enhancements to the Flat schedule in the spring and a further increase to the National Hunt programme in the core winter months.’
For further information, contact:
Jason Morris, Director of Racing - 045 842800
Tamso Doyle, Public Relations Manager - 087 2936357
The key points are as follows:
1. Total Number of Fixtures
2. Monthly Distribution of Fixtures/Races
The HRI Board prioritised two main areas of the 2005 Fixture List for making improvements in terms of horse population requirements.
The first objective was to provide an additional allocation of Flat races during the initial part of the season (i.e. up to the end of May), which has historically suffered from a stuttering start. While the 2005 Flat programme will not be completed for several months, it is anticipated that some 30 extra Flat races will be available during this period due to a re-distribution of fixtures and the addition of several new Flat meetings, including two in April at Gowran Park and Naas.
The second objective was to build on the improvements to the winter jumping programme in January-March for 2004 by enhancing the pre-Christmas period for National Hunt horses, and this has been achieved by the addition of three extra fixtures in the key months of November and December.
3. Major Festivals
The Fairyhouse Easter Festival will be run on the earlier than normal dates of Sunday 27th to Tuesday 29th March. There will then be a four week gap to the Punchestown Festival, which runs from Tuesday 26th to Friday 29th April. Galway is scheduled from 25th to 30th July, with the Listowel Festival running from 18th to 24th September. The Flat season will commence at the Curragh on Sunday 20th March and conclude at Leopardstown on Sunday 6th November, with the principal highlight being the Budweiser Irish Derby Festival staged on 24th to 26th June.
4. Saturday Evenings
There are 10 Saturday evening fixtures scheduled on 9 dates in 2005. The Board has agreed that for any Saturday evening date to be retained in the Fixture List, it must achieve the national average attendance of 5,000 spectators. As a consequence, a number of racecourses have either had Saturday evenings removed (Cork, Limerick, Wexford) following their staging of the meeting this year or have not been granted dates which they requested on the basis of this minimum crowd requirement.
The schedule of Saturday evenings for 2005 is shown below:
May 7th Kilbeggan (NH)
May 14th Naas (F)
May 28th Punchestown (NH)
June 4th Kilbeggan (NH)
July 2nd Leopardstown (F) & Limerick (NH)
July 9th Fairyhouse (NH)
July 23rd Leopardstown (F)
August 6th Kilbeggan (NH
August 13th Tramore (Mixed)
The following racecourses will stage a Saturday evening fixture for the first time in 2005 - Fairyhouse, Naas, Punchestown and Tramore, with the other six meetings at the successful venues of Kilbeggan (three), Leopardstown (two) and Limerick (one). This policy was considered equitable to racecourses and will allow HRI to further determine which venues work on a Saturday evening, especially as the racecourses concerned will be able to concentrate their efforts on a sole venture.
Commenting on the 2005 Fixture List, HRI's Director of Racing Jason Morris stated:-'Horse Racing Ireland's aim is to put on racing at the times and places which will suit racegoers and consequently grow attendances throughout the year .We believe that Saturday evening racing, well positioned and promoted, will produce significant gains for racegoers and racecourses alike. We have also aimed to deliver a well-balanced Fixture List which will provide for the needs of the growing horse population, particularly with enhancements to the Flat schedule in the spring and a further increase to the National Hunt programme in the core winter months.’
For further information, contact:
Jason Morris, Director of Racing - 045 842800
Tamso Doyle, Public Relations Manager - 087 2936357