Irish Horse Racing Fixtures Increase For 2024 As Fixture List Announced By HRI

The 2024 Irish fixture list, which will see the number of meetings rise to 395 while also extending the industry breaks in winter and summer and maintain six blank Sundays, was published by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) on Thursday.

There were 390 fixtures scheduled for 2023. All of the 2024 fixtures have been allocated barring four, and horses-in-training numbers are up 2%. Six turf fixtures have been added to the 2024 fixture list, initially on a one-year basis, and will held at Punchestown (Bank Holiday Monday, Feb. 5), the Curragh (Saturday, Apr. 6), Bellewstown & Down Royal (both Sunday. Apr. 14), Wexford (Wednesday, Aug. 7) and Roscommon (Monday, Oct. 14). In addition, The Flat winter break has been extended by nine days, from Dec. 22-Jan. 12. The summer break in the National Hunt season has also been extended by two days. The six blank Sundays will be on Apr. 28, June 23, July 14, July 28, Sept. 8 and Dec. 22.The Flat season will also begin slightly earlier at the Curragh on Mar. 18 and will end at that racecourse on Nov. 3. Some of the major racing festivals are as follows:

 

  • Dublin Racing Festival: Feb. 3-4
  • Cork Easter Festival: Mar. 30-Apr. 1
  • Fairyhouse Easter Festival: Mar. 30-Apr. 1
  • Punchestown Festival: Apr. 30-May 4
  • Killarney Spring Festival: May 12-14
  • Curragh Guineas Festival: May 24-26
  • Down Royal Ulster Derby: June 21-22
  • Curragh Derby Festival: June 28-30
  • Bellewstown Summer Festival: July 4-6
  • Killarney July Festival: July 15-19
  • Curragh Oaks Festival: July 20-21
  • Galway Festival: July 29-Aug. 4
  • Tramore August Festival: Aug. 15-18
  • Killarney August Festival: Aug. 22-24
  • Irish Champions Festival: Sept. 14-15
  • Listowel Harvest Festival 22-28
  • Down Royal NH Festival: Nov. 1-2
  • Navan Racing Festival: Nov. 16-17
  • Punchestown Winter Festival: Nov. 23-24
  • Fairyhouse Winter Festival: Nov. 30-Dec. 1
  • Leopardstown Christmas Festival: Dec.26-29
  • Limerick Christmas Festival: Dec. 26-29

 

Jason Morris, HRI's Director of Racing and Strategic Projects, said, “HRI is very conscious of the extra demands being placed on all those working in the industry by the increasing fixture list and hence why, following consultation, the Fixtures Committee has extended the break periods under both codes. There will now be a three-week gap over the Christmas and New Year period for the Flat, and a full two week break for the National Hunt sector in June/July. We have also retained the number of blank Sundays at six.”

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Robson Aguiar Adds 88k Wooded Colt To Breeze-Up Team At Tattersalls Ireland

It has been a year to remember for Robson Aguiar, largely down to the exploits of Amo Racing's breakthrough Group 1 winner Bucanero Fuerte (GB) (Wootton Bassett {GB}), who he sourced for Kia Joorabchian's ownership vehicle. 

The ultra-shrewd Brazilian native snapped up a colt by Wooded (Ire), who is a brother to Amo's Phoenix S. hero, for €88,000 on day two of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale and revealed afterwards that the plan was to go breezing for his new recruit. 

“I bought him for myself and he will breeze,” Aguiar said. “I saw a few by Wooded in France and I really liked them. Wooded is a full-brother to Bucanero Fuerte, who won our first Group 1, so it's nice to get one by him. He stood out in this sale. We are looking for quality and I think he is a nice horse.”

A brilliant winner of the Prix de l'Abbaye, Wooded stands at Haras de Bouquetot and his first yearlings have been well-received. Lot 347 was one of only two horses by the stallion in the sale and he represented a whopper of a pinhooking result for John Foley of Ballyvolane Stud who paid just €15,000 for the colt in February.

The Wooded colt who led the way at Tattersalls Ireland | Tattersalls

“Wooded was a Group 1-winning son of Wootton Bassett and I really wanted to buy one by the sire,” he explained. “He was a good-moving foal, a bit weak, and I thought there was a chance he might grow into a nice horse. He has thrived, really thickened out, and most people who saw him said that he was one of the better physicals here and that he stood out a little bit. He has been very popular.”

Foley added, “We always send five or six to sell at this sale and always try to send a couple of nice horses. There are a lot of British trainers here and the Tattersalls Ireland team does a great job getting people to the sale. It has been a lucky sale for us-we sold Sir Busker (Ire) (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) here.”

Poste Picks Up Another Speedy-Looking Colt To Go Breezing

Charlie Poste spoke to TDN Europe on Tuesday about his reasons for branching out into the breeze-up game and, alongside Blandford Bloodstock's Tom Biggs, he continued his recruitment drive on day two. 

Top of Poste's list was a Blue Point (Ire) colt (lot 366) from Oak Lodge and Springfield House Stud for €78,000, which brought his total haul to €169,000 for four yearlings all told.

The Blue Point colt represented a fantastic touch for Reddy Coffey, who purchased the dam Platinum Coast (Speightstown) for just 4,500gns in 2019. 

He said, “It is a great result. Blue Point looks like he is going to be a proper sire. We bought the mare for just 4,500gns. She is by Speightstown and we thought the stallion's physique would suit the mare and he was a very fast horse. Who doesn't like a fast horse!”

Grant's Wishes Come Through With Sioux Nation Colt

Mark Grant knows a thing or two about fast horses. The leading breeze-up handler is famed for producing dual Royal Ascot winner Bradsell (GB) (Tasleet {GB}) and came away from Fairyhouse with four yearlings bought for the upcoming season. 

Grant, who is based in Britain, said that the conversion rate from Sterling to Euro was a sweetener in going to €80,000 for a belter of a Sioux Nation colt (lot 373) from Glidawn Stud.

He said, “I thought the Sioux Nation was the best horse in the sale and I knew I'd have to pull a bit out for him. I think all of the right people were on him. Hopefully he will turn out to be a Craven horse.”

Grant also came away from Fairyhouse with an Earthlight colt from Moanmore Stables for €60,000, a Saxon Warrior (Jpn) colt from Castletown Quarry Stud for €55,000 and an Acclamation (GB) colt for €45,000. 

He commented, “I have bought some nice horses here in the past and I like coming back here. Buying in Euros is a big help as well. When you look up at the bid board and eight grand was just sixty eight Sterling, so that's a big help.

“I have eleven bought now and I'll probably buy another three or four at the upcoming sales but the nice ones are hard to buy. It's been very hard to buy them this year. A lot of the breeze-up handlers haven't filled their orders yet so they will probably be driving on now.”

 

Solid Trade Posted On Day Two

There may not have been any six-figure lots on day two but the trade remained solid. The €12,522,000 aggregate was up marginally on the figures posted in 2022 while the average climbed 3% to €30,995. The median was also up 8% to €28,000 while the clearance rate was down 5% to 85%.

 

Buy(s) of the Day

John Murphy and his son George have a track record at sniffing out a bargain and time may prove that the father-and-son duo found another here on Wednesday in the shape of lot 322.

A Tamayuz (GB) colt consigned by Wardstown Stud attracted plenty of shrewd judges to the ring but it was Murphy who won out at €30,000.

Out of an Arcano (Ire) mare who has yet to produce a winner, the Tamayuz is a fine stamp of a colt and should make up into a nice two-year-old.

He is a three-parts brother to Blond Me (Ire) and the pedigree traces back to a strong Ballymacoll family.

Elsewhere, another Make Believe colt appeared to be well bought at this sale. It was in this section on Tuesday where Luke Lillingston's €70,000 purchase of a colt by the Ballylinch stallion was put forward as the buy of the day to go to Andrew Balding.

Well, Billy Jackson-Stops may well have found similar value in the Make Believe colt that he sourced for the trainer (lot 286) for just €40,000.

Consigned by Airlie Stud, the Make Believe colt is out of an unraced Galileo (Ire) mare, who has already produced the highly-rated Ralph Beckett-trained Quantum Impact (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}).

Finally, if it's early speed that you were looking for, Patrick Vaughan and Conor Hoban of Beechlea Bloodstock may have found it. They shelled out just €15,000 to secure a Kuroshio (Aus) colt (lot 261) from Baroda Stud early in the morning.

Kuroshio has already proved himself as a good source of speed, largely down to the exploits of trainer Michael O'Callaghan through Gozen (Ire) and Kairyu (Ire), with the latter on course for Group 1 targets.

This colt looks well capable of clocking a good time should his next connections go down that route and it wouldn't be a surprise to see them turn a profit in the spring whatever path they chart with the colt.

 

Strong Trade, As Curtain Falls On Part 1

Tattersalls Ireland, CEO Simon Kerins said, “Today completes two very successful days of trade at the September Yearling Sale, resulting in a turnover surpassing €12,522,000, the second highest ever recorded for this sale. It was immensely satisfying to see advancements in most key indicators with this year's catalogue producing a record median and the second highest average for the two days. There was also a record number of lots making over €40,000 a testament to the solid trade.

“Results do speak volumes and up to last weekend, the September Yearling Sale was Europe's leading sale for 2-year-winners, complemented by Dawn Charger and Tiger Belle's recent Group 3 success in France. It is these winners that have reinforced the confidence with new and existing buyers to come to Fairyhouse, with more buyers in attendance than ever before. Heartfelt appreciation must go to Charles O' Neill and his team at Irish Thoroughbred Marketing for their exceptional efforts that have contributed to a very successful week.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the vendors who supported us with a catalogue worthy of attracting so many visitors to the site. We wish all our purchasers continued success with their purchases as they go on to achieve great things on the racetrack.”

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Cheveley Park Next For Relief Rally

Relief Rally (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}), the winner of the G2 Lowther S., will take her chance in the G1 Cheveley Park S. at Newmarket on Oct. 30, Anthony Bromley, racing manager for owners Simon Munir and Isaac Souede, revealed on Wednesday.

The four-for-five William Haggas-trained bay was also being considered for the G1 Prix de l'Abbaye in open company and versus elders the day after the Cheveley Park. Second in the G2 Queen Mary S. by only a nose at third asking in June, she triumphed in the Weatherbys Super Sprint S. a month later, before her Lowther score in August.

“The plan is very much to go to the Cheveley Park at this moment in time,” said Bromley. “It's pretty much decision made, obviously other variables can happen between now and then, but at the moment all roads lead to Newmarket.

“It just seems she deserves a go at a Group 1 and the Cheveley Park is fillies' only and six furlongs, which seemed to suit well in the Lowther. William seems happy with her and there's no reason not to go to Newmarket really.”

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Lastotchka Purchased By Australian Bloodstock With Melbourne Cup Aim

Multiple Group 3 winner Lastotchka (Fr) (Myboycharlie {Ire}) has been purchased by Australian Bloodstock and is under consideration for the G1 Melbourne Cup in November.

The 4-year-old filly most recently won the G3 Prix Gladiateur at ParisLongchamp earlier this month. She was raced by Ecurie Noel Forgeard, Pierre Bonnier, Earl Touchstone, Charles-Henri Bonnier and Philippe Stein prior to her acquisition. The daughter of Muthla (Fr) (Muhtathir {GB}) won the G3 Prix Belle de Nuit earlier in her career.

“We completed the deal last night,” Jamie Lovett of Australian Bloodstock told Racing.com on Wednesday.

“There's a few things to play out so we are leaving her in in Chantilly for more scans at the moment. She's passed the RV (Racing Victoria) trot-up and they've seen the X-rays so far.”

Of the former Jean-Marie Beguigne trainee's appeal, Lovett added, “We really liked the form. The thing that ticked the last box was that she's obviously won at a mile and a half but interestingly enough her two Group 3 wins were at 2800 metres and 3100 metres.

“She's bought for that race and she's come in with 51kgs. She's also good residual value as a multiple Group 3 winner with a lovely pedigree.”

Australian Bloodstock won the 2022 Melbourne Cup with Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}), and he is currently top weight for the two-mile prize when the weights were released on Tuesday.

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