HRI releases Flat programme for July but no crowds expected until autumn

The Flat programme for July was released by Horse Racing Ireland on Friday and, while Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced that the country will fast-track the lifting of restrictions beginning on Monday, there is no expectation that crowds will be allowed to return to sporting fixtures before the autumn.

Ireland enters phase two of its easing of restrictions on Monday with Varadkar labelling next week's stage as "phase two plus". However, the prospect of crowds being permitted on a racecourse at any stage during the summer remain bleak as the ban on mass gatherings will remain in place until the autumn.

There will be 28 days of Flat racing during the first 28 days of July, including three days with double meetings and three blank days to provide suitable breaks in recognition of the increased workload.

Oaks weekend (July 18-19) at the Curragh will be bolstered with three Group 2s added to the two-day meeting – the Curragh Cup (over a mile and three-quarters) for older horses and the Railway and Balanchine Stakes (both over six furlongs) for two-year-olds.

The Tattersalls Gold Cup, now open to three-year-olds and upwards, will be the feature race on a new Curragh card on Sunday July 26.

The Ballysax Stakes will be switched from the Curragh to Dundalk on Sunday, July 12, the first meeting scheduled for the newly resurfaced track.

Innisfree lands last season's Beresford Stakes at the Curragh. The race will be staged at Dundalk this yearCredit: Patrick McCann

HRI is also announcing a change of date for the €200,000 Irish EBF Ballyhane Stakes, which will be run three weeks later than originally planned at Naas on Sunday, August 23. The first forfeit date will now be moved to June 10 with the second forfeit stage moving to July 15. A possible increase in the value of the feature race and/or the possibility of a consolation race will be kept under review due to the unprecedented level of initial entries.

Shane Doyle, HRI’s race planning manager, said: “With the entries now available it is getting very real and we're looking forward to the resumption of Irish racing behind closed doors at Naas on Monday. We're now able to publish the Flat programme through to the end of the Galway Festival to facilitate connections with their medium-term planning, having released the revised fixture list for the whole of 2020 yesterday.”

He added: “The aim remains to provide all Flat horses with their first run as quickly as possible through divisions and ongoing consultation with the IRTA and then suitable subsequent opportunities by offering a balanced programme across all age groups, distances and categories.”

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