- ‘Irish Champions Weekend’ created in September -

 - Easter Festival at Fairyhouse reduced to 2 days -

- New conclusion for the Flat ‘summer’ season -

The 2014 Fixture List has been released today by Horse Racing Ireland.

The total number of fixtures is retained at 349, the same figure as in 2012 and 2013.

The key points in relation to the 2014 Fixture List are as follows:

• Irish Champions Weekend has been created, featuring Leopardstown on Saturday 13^th September and The Curragh on Sunday 14^th September. (See quote below)

• As Easter at Fairyhouse and the Punchestown Festival fall just a week apart, the third day (Tuesday) of the Fairyhouse Easter Festival has been moved two weeks earlier to Sunday 6^th April to create a very high class card featuring five Pattern races which would otherwise have directly clashed with Punchestown contests

• A new, higher profile climax to the flat ‘summer’ season has been created – it will now conclude with a good quality two-day meeting at Leopardstown on Saturday/ Sunday 25^th/26^thOctober, avoiding a direct clash with the Breeders Cup

• The Killarney August Festival has been moved a week earlier (20^th – 23^rd August) at the racecourse’s request in order to coincide with the Rose of Tralee Festival

• There will now be four Wednesday evening Dundalk fixtures, in addition to the regular Fridays evenings, in the November/December period, giving a second weekly fixture during the time of the year when there is a significant demand for additional opportunities on the AWT

Commenting on the key development within the 2014 Fixture List, Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive of HRI, said:

“I am pleased that HRI has been able to create the inaugural Irish Champions Weekend in September 2014, taking place at Leopardstown on Saturday 13^th September followed by The Curragh on Sunday 14^th September. It is planned that Irish Champions Weekend will host at least ten Group races, including up to five Group 1 contests, along with several valuable Premier Handicaps. These two meetings will be promoted and marketed jointly, with the ambition of attracting a major international audience to Ireland.

Irish Champions Weekend also opens up the opportunity for a new, exciting Tri-Nation series of Autumn Championships linking the top three racing nations of Europe, starting with Ireland’s weekend, followed by the Arc weekend in France and culminating with the British Champions Weekend of racing in October.”

For further information contact:

Brian Kavanagh, Chief Executive Ph: 045 455641

Link to 2014 Fixture List:http://www.goracing.ie/pics/2013/2014FixturesListA4.pdf

The dates of the major racing Festivals for 2014 will be: