Curragh set to lose some races next year due to renovation works

The Curragh is set to have a condensed 2017 programme, running from May to September, in order to facilitate its €65 million redevelopment plan.

The famous racecourse had hoped that building work, due to be completed n 2018. would not interfere with next year’s programme.

However the track has now applied to Horse Racing Ireland’s fixtures committee for an amended list of 18 fixtures in 2017.

“The application is in for a truncated season to facilitate the development. It hasn’t been sanctioned, and it’s subject to approval, but we are looking at racing from the middle of May to mid-September,” said the Curragh spokesman, Paul Hensey.

“The Guineas and all the classics will be run here as normal. It is the meetings at the start of the season and at the end which will have to be swapped and changed to other tracks,” he added.

Planning permission for the Curragh’s long-awaited facelift was granted earlier this year and work is due to start on the project at the start of 2017.