This is a subscriber-only article
It looks like you're browsing in private mode
THERE will be no increase to the number of race meetings held in Ireland during 2025, with Horse Racing Ireland announcing a total of 395 cards in its annual fixture list reveal on Friday.
Irish racing’s governing body also published a separate contingency fixture list for next year, should Tipperary Racecourse be required to close in 2025 in order for construction work to take place on the proposed new all-weather track at the Limerick Junction venue.
Plans for the development of a second synthetic track in Ireland were first announced in HRI’s 2020-2024 strategic plan, but knock-on impacts from the Covid-19 pandemic and other planning-related matters have meant that progress on the project has been delayed.
As to the current status of the Tipperary all-weather build, The Irish Field understands that the main contract tender prices are due to arrive this month. That will allow HRI to seek the last stage of approval - essentially the final business case - with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the government’s infrastructure guidelines.
Timeframes are thought to be difficult to predict with certainty, but the intention is that - subject to receipt of governmental approval - work will begin on the new all-weather track in the spring of 2025, to be concluded by quarter four of 2026.
Racecourses were asked to apply to stage Tipperary fixtures in the event of its closure, and all fixtures have been reassigned in full, except for the October 5th mixed meeting, which will see the three graded National Hunt races go to Gowran Park on Saturday, October 4th, and the Listed Concorde Stakes moving to the Curragh on Sunday October 5th.
Horse Racing Ireland’s director of racing Jonathan Mullin said: “The number of horses in training in Ireland this year remain at similar levels to 2023 and therefore it was felt prudent not to increase the number of fixtures for 2025.
“The fixture list process for 2025 involved consultation with a wide variety of industry stakeholders and we acknowledge their strong engagement throughout.
Contingency plans
“In particular, given the need to produce a ‘shadow’ 2025 fixture list to accommodate the planned development of an All-Weather Track at Tipperary, we thank the racecourses for their considerable contributions.”
Other courses who are set to benefit from any Tipperary fixture switches are Dundalk, Listowel, Punchestown, Wexford, Fairyhouse, Limerick, Cork and Galway.
On the whole, all but four of 2025’s fixtures have been allocated, with the remainder retained as floating fixtures “to be utilised during the year to deal with time periods when there is high demand for opportunities to run from the horse population”.
Another point to emerge from next year’s fixture list is that Irish racing will remain without a meeting on Good Friday, despite a request from the Curragh to host a fixture on the popular day for racing in Britain.
Other Irish sporting events have been fixed for the same day in recent years, including the knockout stages of the Heineken Champions Cup rugby and League of Ireland Premier Division soccer fixtures. Officials at the Curragh have previously expressed the view that Irish racing is “missing out” by not being active on a day when many workplaces and schools are closed.
When asked about the day being left blank in 2025, Curragh chief executive Brian Kavanagh told The Irish Field: “We’re happy with the fixtures that we’ve got for next year; it’s pretty much the same as this year. We do feel that there is a good opportunity there to race on Good Friday going forward and showcase ourselves to a different audience.
“We understand, however, that this year one of the overall considerations was the wider number of blank racing days in the calendar from a staffing perspective. We remain committed to looking into Good Friday racing but understand the circumstances behind the decision taken this year.”
SHARING OPTIONS: