Navan and Fairyhouse set for June racing action

Navan and Fairyhouse will host five of the 28 race meetings scheduled for June when the action resumes behind closed doors next month according to the schedule released by Horse Racing Ireland today.

It has been agreed that Cork racecourse will not be among those used in June when it will continue to serve an important role as a HSE Test Centre for Covid-19.

The action will resume on the flat at Naas on Monday 8th June with a total of 24 meetings on the level while the jumping action will get started at Limerick on 22nd June with action also scheduled for Roscommon, Tipperary and KIlbeggan.

Racing will resume under strict protocols at Naas with the Irish 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh on 12th and 13th June.

Tiered prizemoney reductions will apply across all grades and 48-hour declarations will assist health screening protocols

There will be no apprentice or claiming races in first two weeks following resumption.

The Irish Derby retains its traditional date on Saturday 27th June as does the Irish Oaks on Saturday 18th July while Irish Champions Weekend will take place on 12th and 13th September.

For the first three weeks, racing will be restricted to nine racecourses which are more centrally located to minimise travel distances and which also have higher stable capacities given the requirement for one stable per horse under the new protocols.

Wherever possible eight-race cards will be staged to maximise opportunities for the horse population.

Safety limits will be decided on a racecourse by racecourse basis to accommodate each track’s social distancing requirements, with a general maximum limit of 18 initially.

Prizemoney reductions are as follows:

The Irish Derby and the Irish Champion Stakes both reduced to €750,000 (by 50 per cent and 40 per cent from €1.5m and €1.25m respectively) with significant reductions to all other Group 1 races throughout the year.

The 1,000 and 2,000 Guineas will both be worth €250,000.

General prize money reductions, initially to the end of June, are as follows:

Base values for Group 1 Flat races cut by 30-50 per cent

Base values for races above €50,000 cut by at least 25 per cent

Base values for races above €20,000 to €50,000 cut by 20 per cent

Base values for races above €15,000 to €20,000 cut by 15 per cent

Base values for races from €10,000 to €15,000 cut by 10 per cent

Minimum value of €10,000 cut by 10% to €9,000

JUNE FIXTURES (Flat unless otherwise indicated)

8th June - Naas

9th June - Leopardstown

10th June - Navan

11th June - Gowran Park

12th June - Curragh

13th June - Curragh

14th June - Leopardstown

15th June -Fairyhouse, Roscommon

17th June - Gowran Park, Limerick

18th June - Fairyhouse

19th June - Tipperary, Gowran Park

20th June - Naas

21st June - Leopardstown

22nd June - Roscommon, Limerick (NH)

23rd June - Navan

24th June - Naas, Roscommon (NH)

25th June - Fairyhouse

26th June - Curragh, Tipperary (NH)

27th June - Curragh

28th June - Curragh

29th June - Limerick, Kilbeggan (NH)