2007 Fixtures: Ireland's first all-weather track - at Dundalk, which is due to open in August 2007 - will host 12 meetings next year.
Sunday, August 26th, will be the kick-off for the country's latest racecourse and the move was described by the Horse Racing Ireland director of racing Jason Morris yesterday as "a major development in Irish racing, providing new opportunities for owners and trainers".
Dundalk's first evening meeting under floodlights will take place on Thursday, September 27th, and the remaining fixtures will comprise two runs of five consecutive Friday evenings, running from September 28th-October 26th and November 9th-December 7th.
The dates were announced yesterday as part of HRI's fixture list for 2007 which will be made up of 328 race meetings, 14 more than last year.
"HRI's aim is to put on racing at times and places which best suit racegoers and thereby grow attendances," Morris added. What was described as "the single most important change of date" on the list is the switch of the Hennessy Gold Cup at Leopardstown from Sunday, February 11th, to Saturday, February 10th, to avoid a clash with the Ireland-France rugby international at Croke Park.
Other significant steps include the addition of a third day to the Irish Leger-National Stakes festival at the Curragh which will now run from Friday to Sunday and the extension of the summer break between the National Hunt seasons, which started this year, to 10 days from eight. "This is the maximum break achievable for the foreseeable future," a spokesman said.
HRI and the Turf Club are jointly sponsoring this year's Irish jump jockeys' trip to Australia where they will compete in a series of races against a local team at five racecourses.
The Grand National winning jockey Niall Madden leads the team which also includes Kevin Coleman, Niki O'Shea and Brian Byrnes.
MAJOR FESTIVALS 2007: Cork Easter Festival, April 7th - 9th; Fairyhouse Easter Festival, April 8th - 10th; Punchestown NH Festival, April 24th - 27th; Killarney Spring Festival, May 13th - 15th; Curragh Derby Festival, June 29th - July 1st; Bellewstown, July 5th - 7th; Killarney Festival, July 16th - 19th; Galway, July 30th - August 5th; Tramore, August 16th - 19th; Tralee August 21st - September 25th; Galway, September 9th - 11th; Listowel, September 16th - 22nd; Leopardstown, December 26th - 29th; Limerick, December 26th - 29th.
