date change

Dubai Duty Free will continue their sponsorship of the G1 Irish Derby, as they renewed their partnership with the Curragh, the duo announced on Tuesday. In addition, the prize-money for the Irish Classic will increase from€1 million to €1.25 million in 2023, and five additional races will be sponsored by the airport retailer. For the first time since 2011, the Irish Derby will take place on a Sunday, with 2023's date set to be July 2. The full eight-race card will also become a permanent part of the Hong Kong...

Following a request from Roscommon Racecourse, Horse Racing Ireland have transferred the Roscommon meeting originally scheduled for Tuesday, July 5 (evening meeting) to Monday, July 4 (evening meeting). The meeting will now close for entries by 12 noon Wednesday, June 29 with declarations to run to be made by 10am Saturday, July 2. Race programme details will be forthcoming.

The rules were changed for the timetable of the 2022 French Flat jockeys' championship, the Cravache d'Or, with the Association des Jockeys Executive Committee validating the advisory vote in favour of a date change on Friday. Originally, the valid dates for the Flat championship were from Jan. 1-Dec. 31st, but beginning in 2022, the Cravache d'Or will begin on Mar. 1st and end on Oct. 30th. The other French jockeys' championships-the Cravache d'Or obstacle for National Hunt jockeys and the Etrier d'Or for apprentices will remain Jan. 1-Dec. 31. The...

The February National Hunt Sale, to be held at Fairyhouse in Ireland, has been moved to Feb. 23-24, Tattersalls Ireland announced on Wednesday. The decision was made due to continued uncertainty due to COVID-19 and the current lockdown in Ireland, which expires on Jan. 30. "As has been the case since the outbreak of this virus, we're having to respond as best as we can to rapidly changing scenarios, at all times balancing social responsibility and prevailing government restrictions with the best interest of all Tattersalls Ireland clients," said Tattersalls...

Following the UK government's announcement of a nationwide lockdown on Oct. 31, all possible options and dates will be considered for the upcoming Tattersalls December Sales, Tattersalls announced on Monday. The COVID-19 cases in the UK and abroad have been rising, and, as a result, the lockdown will begin on Nov. 5 and last through at least Dec. 2, interfering with the current sales dates. "As has so often been the case this year, we are having to respond to events and decisions entirely outside our control, but we would...

France extended its curfew measures from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. to other parts of the country, including Deauville, for the next six weeks on Thursday, with another two week extension a possibility as COVID-19 cases increase. The curfew will not affect the Arqana Autumn Sales with Flat yearlings Nov. 14 and Nov. 16-18 with horses-in-training, stores and NH-bred yearlings. However, the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale, which normally features a mix of Flat and National Hunt breeding prospects, broodmares and foals, has been retooled, as its sessions normally finish...

The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission (KHRC) unanimously voted at a special meeting Thursday to allow Churchill Downs to shift five "optional" Wednesday race dates from its spring meet to Sept. 1-5 to accommodate the track's coronavirus-related rescheduling of the entire Tuesday-through-Saturday GI Kentucky Derby race week. The KHRC's approval came after two other Kentucky tracks that have already been granted traditional race dates during that September time block indicated they would be amenable to working out a compromise for the betterment of the entire circuit. That means Ellis Park will...