Winter weekend triple-header gets go-ahead in big changes to Irish fixture list

A new winter weekend triple-header, first reported by the Racing Post last week, has been made official by Horse Racing Ireland after it released the 2023 Irish fixture list on Tuesday with numerous changes to the calendar, most notably three high-quality weekends of jump racing at Navan, Punchestown and Fairyhouse.

Punchestown will play host to a two-day festival in late November featuring the Morgiana Hurdle and the John Durkan Chase on the same weekend and the track's chief executive Conor O'Neill has praised the move, which he said the course has wanted for some time.

O'Neill said: "This is a very strategic development from a Punchestown point of view and one that we have been seeking for a very long time. The John Durkan moving earlier in the calendar is a natural fit as it gives the top horses a longer lead time into Christmas, while the Morgiana moving won't have a negative impact from a programme perspective either. The fact the Morgiana won't be clashing with the November meeting at Cheltenham will be a big bonus for us as well.

"We are fully supportive of the move and will be promoting it in every way we can."

Fairyhouse manager Peter Roe was similarly positive about the new schedule and believes it will get people talking about jump racing and gather momentum going into his Hatton's Grace weekend on the first weekend of December.

Roe said: "I like the idea of the weekends building up to our big weekend at Fairyhouse, which has firmly established itself in the calendar. The three weekends in a row of quality racing will get people talking about racing and that's what we want. Talk is good!"

Like Punchestown, Navan will also have a new weekend festival. The Fortria and Troytown Chases will come together on November 18 and 19 and manager Aidan McGarry thinks it will bring a new lease of life to the town.

McGarry said: "We're delighted to have our two feature days brought together in what should be a fantastic weekend of racing. We were delighted to work with HRI and the other racecourse to put these weekends in place.

"It is the first full weekend of racing in Navan that any of the team here can remember. The initial feedback from trainers and the racing public has been really positive. We're really looking forward to it."

Run Wild Fred and Davy Russell after last season's Troytown ChaseCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Alterations have also been made to the Irish Flat season, which will commence as normal at the Curragh on March 25, but will also conclude there on November 5 rather than at Naas.

Instead, Naas will have a new two-day weekend festival on October 14 and 15 while the following weekend Leopardstown will host two days of Flat action.

As was the case this year, the number of blank Sundays will be retained at six – on March 19, April 23, June 25, July 16, July 30 and October 8.

In order to prevent coverage congestion on television, there will be only nine Saturdays in 2023 with two Irish fixtures, down from 15 this year, while the latest a race can be run in January and February is 7.30pm at Dundalk. It is 8.30pm for the rest of the year.

The fixture list for 2023 contains 387 meetings with three floating fixtures being kept in reserve to be inserted at short notice by the fixtures committee of HRI at a time when demand for opportunities to run is at a high. It means the overall number of 390 is the same as this year.

Explaining the changes to the calendar, Jason Morris, HRI director of racing and strategic projects, said: "The 2023 fixture list sees a significant development of the National Hunt schedule in November with a series of two-day feature meetings now being created for both race programming and promotional benefits.

"There was widespread industry consultation and support for these changes, which will produce a series of high-profile, top-quality meetings at the start of the core jumps season. The end of the Flat turf season has also been rearranged in October with two-day meetings in Naas and Leopardstown, leading into a season-ending finale at the Curragh in early November."

Morris added: "Maintaining the competitiveness and quality of Irish racing is paramount as it underpins the racegoing experience, the value of our media rights and the appeal of our bloodstock to international markets. This is reflected in our continuing international successes and the average Irish field size, which in the year to date is 11.97 runners per race.

"The HRI fixtures committee works closely with the HRI betting committee and, at their behest, has reduced the number of clashing Saturday afternoon fixtures from 15 to nine to reduce coverage congestion on these busy days.

"Significant input is also received from the HRI industry services committee and the aim is always to balance the commercial aspirations of racecourses with the need to provide appropriate breaks for those working in the industry."

Key takeouts

• Navan (November 18, 19), Punchestown (November 25, 26) and Fairyhouse (December 2, 3) to complete a winter weekend triple-header
• Only nine Saturdays with two Irish meetings instead of 15 in 2022 to reduce coverage congestion on television
• Six blank Sundays on March 19, April 23, June 25, July 16, July 30 and October 8
• Flat season to finish to start (March 25) and finish (November 5) at the Curragh
• New two-day fixture being introduced at Naas on the weekend of October 14 and 15 and a two-day all-Flat fixture at Leopardstown on October 21 and 22
• Final race at 7.30pm for January and February and 8.30pm for the rest of the year
• Four-week break for the leading Flat jockeys from mid-December to mid-January
• Three breaks in the season for the leading jump jockeys in May, June/July and September

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