The racing fixtures for 2006 were released today (Tuesday 26th July) by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI), the National Authority for Racing. The key points in relation to the 2006 Fixture List are:
Total Number of Fixtures
The total number of fixtures has increased
by 1 to 314.
Limerick gains a Flat fixture in April from
Gowran Park (for track maintenance reasons).
Navan gains a National Hunt fixture on 23rd
December.
Break in National Hunt Season
A one-week gap has been created in the National Hunt season (from Tuesday 27th June to Wednesday 5th July) at the request of both the Jockeys and
Trainers Associations. During the busy summer period of May to August a
"blank" day has been included in twelve of the eighteen weeks to facilitate those working within the industry and the intention is to extend this policy in future years.
Launch of Goffs Million Race at the Curragh
There will be a Curragh fixture on Tuesday 19th September, on a one-off basis, to coincide with the launch of the new Goffs Million race and supporting programme during Ryder Cup week, which will be one of the official events of the tournament. It is intended that the races will move to the Curragh's St. Leger/National Stakes weekend in future years.
Whit Weekend
Whit Weekend, at the start of June, will be strengthened by the creation of two new two-day meetings - Tramore on Friday evening and Saturday afternoon (2nd & 3rd June) and Listowel on the Sunday and Bank Holiday Monday (4th & 5th June).
Festivals
The dates of the major racing festivals for 2006 will be:
Cork Easter Festival 15th - 17th April
Fairyhouse Easter Festival 16th - 18th April
Punchestown NH Festival
25th - 28th April
Killarney Spring Festival 7th - 9th May
Curragh Derby Festival 30th June - 2nd July
Bellewstown 5th - 7th July
Killarney July Festival 17th - 20th July
Galway 31st July - 6th August
Tramore 17th - 20th August
Tralee 28th August - 1st September
Galway 10th - 12th September
Listowel 18th - 24th September
Leopardstown 26th - 29th December
Limerick 26th - 29th December
Saturday Evenings
There are currently 10 Saturday evenings scheduled for 2006, the same number as in 2005. Fairyhouse and Naas will not re-stage their combined two Saturdays while the Curragh and Tipperary have been granted Saturday evening fixtures for the first time in 2006. Tipperary's Saturday evening will form part of a new two-day fixture on 22nd - 23rd July. Punchestown will retain their Saturday evening date on the equivalent date this year (20th May) which will coincide with the staging of a major international three-day event to be held on the same day in 2006.
The schedule of Saturday evenings for 2006 is:
May 6th Kilbeggan (NH)
May 20th Punchestown (NH)
June 3rd Kilbeggan (NH)
June 10th Curragh (F)
June 17th Limerick (NH)
July 8th Leopardstown (F)
July 22nd Tipperary (Mixed)
July 29th Leopardstown (F)
August 12th Kilbeggan (NH)
August 19th Tramore (Mixed)
Commenting on the 2006 Fixture List, Jason Morris, HRI's Director of Racing
said: "Horse Racing Ireland's aim is to put on racing at times and places which will suit racegoers and thereby grow attendances throughout the year, whilst also satisfying as far as possible the needs of the growing horse population. We have introduced a break in the National Hunt season during the summer to give jump jockeys a guaranteed gap in their schedules. The intention would be to grow the length of this break over a period of years, with a two-week gap being the ideal."
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