Next year's running of the Group One Independent Waterford Wedgwood Phoenix Stakes will take place at the Curragh because of the M50 extension work at Leopardstown.
The first Group One in Europe for two-year-olds is scheduled to be run at its usual home in eight days, but the temporary move is the big feature of the 2002 fixture list which was published by the Irish Horseracing Authority yesterday.
The Curragh will stage the six furlong race on August 11th, 2002, and the other notable scheduled move is the extension of the Listowel festival to seven days between September 23th-29th next year.
In total, there will be 284 race meetings, an increase of nine on this year, with the flat season to open at the Curragh on March 24th and the Budweiser Irish Derby scheduled for June 30th.
A suspicion that the remarkable Galway festival would again be extended to include the bank holiday Monday proved groundless, but the money-generating machine that the week has become looks set to continue this weekend.
Not for the first time, whether it will generate money for punters can come down to Dermot Weld, but at a festival where the trainer's horses can often be unrealistically short prices, his Circus Maximus could provide a much needed touch of value in today's Dawn Milk Handicap Hurdle.
The four-year-old is also entered tomorrow, but today's £40,000 contest looks the better option given a comparatively lightweight and the longest trip Circus Maximus has ever attempted.
The latter point is important, because while Circus Maximus has some qualities, speed is not among them. Even so, off 9.11, he ran a decent fifth on the flat on Tuesday to Class Society and looks to be pretty well treated by the conditions.
Barry Geraghty's mount has a substantial swing with Toto Caelo on Fairyhouse form in April and should relish the trip and the uphill climb.
Weld and rider Pat Smullen could be on the mark in the seven furlong Nursery with Prize Time. This one was comprehensively outpaced over the minimum trip last time behind Real Delight and could just outpoint the top-weight Brooklyn.
The double GPT winner Gamekeeper was denied a double festival score last year but tries again in the two mile handicap where Ballintry Guest tries to pick up the prize for the second year running.
Kilcash Castle won his bumper on the corresponding day two years ago and can open his account over fences in the opener while Keepingthefaith, unlucky behind Celtic Lore on the flat on Thursday, can go one better in the handicap chase.
Weld should also be a major player at the festival wind up tomorrow. Murrayfield was a very unlucky loser on Wednesday when just fifth to Rashay having started a heavily supported 7 to 4 favourite. The ratings for the mile race give Aquila Oculus the edge but it could prove different in the race.
Kilcrea Shyan also suffered something of a nightmare passage in a race on Monday but should at least go close in the last.
Another trainer who has enjoyed a good week is Pat Hughes and he can round it off in style.
The Thursday winner Akasian goes over fences in the opener and should be hard to beat, while Rapid Deployment can make a light weight count in the first division of the handicap hurdle.
