HRI unveil revised Pattern list
THE Tattersalls Gold Cup will be open to three-year-olds for the first time since 1985 as Irish racing chiefs put shape on the revised season ahead of its return next month.
The 10-furlong race, which is usually run at the end of May, has been slotted onto the Curragh card on July 26 and will offer a new Group One alternative for Classic horses.
Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) have confirmed the full complement of Group races will be run this year to reflect their importance to the Irish breeding industry.
‘The revised list of Pattern races will see the many of them run on their original dates and under typical conditions, though some have had date, race conditions and even venue changes to allow them fit into the new schedule,’ said HRI chief Brian Kavanagh.
‘Apart from the three Group One races normally run on Guineas weekend, all other Group One races will be run on their originally scheduled dates and venues.
‘The two-year-old Group race programme will start about six weeks later than normal, in early July, but again the full complement of opportunities will be run between then and season end.’
Among the major dates ahead are the Cambridgeshire on August 28, the Irish Champion Stakes on September 12, the Irish St Leger on September 13 and the Cesarewitch on October 11.
After missing 87 fixtures since March 24, racing returns at Naas on June 8 where the card includes two Listed sprints over five furlongs, one for three-year-olds, and one for older horses.
The card at Leopardstown on June 9 includes a brace of sevenfurlong trials for colts and fillies, and the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial for three-year-olds over 10 furlongs.
Meanwhile, French racing was thrown into confusion last night after being told to shut down its Paris tracks, underlining the fragile and precarious nature of professional sport as it attempts to return during the shutdown.
Paris has been a hotspot for coronavirus infections and is designated a Red Zone by the French government, but it had been cleared for racing by the authorities and Paris police.
There will now no longer be racing at Longchamp, where the sport resumed in France on May 11, Chantilly, Saint-Cloud and jumps track Auteuil, at least until the French government’s next review of the transition out of lockdown on June 2.
Racing can continue at tracks in Green Zones in south-west France and Normandy racecourse Deauville. Olivier Delloye, chief executive of France Galop, did not know what had changed the government direction. But before racing returned it was rumoured that leading figures in football had raised objections after Ligue 1 was shut down for the season.
Asked if lobbying from other sports could have been influential, Delloye said: ‘Perhaps. I cannot tell. That might be the case.
‘It is hard to understand the rationale behind this decision.
‘It is totally in contradiction with the decision that was made 10 days ago and we don’t know why.
‘It is frustrating as everything has gone well since the resumption of racing last week, but if we look at this situation as a glass half full, we can say racing in France is not jeopardised.
‘We can organise racing at many racetracks and won’t lose any fixtures.’