NEWS
Key Irish races shuffled between Leopardstown and the Curragh
Posted: Sunday, December 02, 2001
Next year's Irish stakes schedule has undergone a major revamping with the transfer of several key races from Leopardstown to the Curragh, including the Phoenix Stakes (Ire-G1) for two-year-olds. To balance the program, Leopardstown will receive two Group 3 events from the Curragh, the Matron and the Desmond Stakes, both at one mile.In addition to the six-furlong Phoenix, two of Leopardstown's three Group 3 sprints, the Phoenix Sprint Stakes (Ire-G3) at six furlongs and the Flying Five Stakes (Ire-G3) at five furlongs, will also be run at the Curragh.
The switch was made because there will most likely be no five-furlong races at Leopardstown until a new sprint course is built to replace the one that is being taken over by the M50 highway extension. Lower level six-furlong sprints are most likely to continue at Leopardstown on the round course.
"The sprint track has been handed over to the motorway contractors although they haven't done anything with it yet," Brian Kavanagh, chief executive of Horse Racing Ireland, told Racing Post.
"We won't finally decide about all the Leopardstown five-furlong races until the flat program is put to bed, and the program committee will first have to take into account the views of the clerk of the course. However, there is a view that while six furlongs on the round course is feasible, the five-furlong start would be to close to the bend."
The Irish Pattern Committee recommended to the European Pattern Committee that the listed Derrinstown Stud One Thousand Guineas Trial at Leopardstown be upgraded to Group 3 status and exclude Group 1 winners. Other recommendations include changing the International Stakes (Ire-G2) at the Curragh to one mile from 1 1/8 miles in an attempt to attract more runners.
