NH racing

The 2024 Irish fixture list, which will see the number of meetings rise to 395 while also extending the industry breaks in winter and summer and maintain six blank Sundays, was published by Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) on Thursday. There were 390 fixtures scheduled for 2023. All of the 2024 fixtures have been allocated barring four, and horses-in-training numbers are up 2%. Six turf fixtures have been added to the 2024 fixture list, initially on a one-year basis, and will held at Punchestown (Bank Holiday Monday, Feb. 5), the Curragh...

Dual winner My Lyka (GB) (Intello {Ger}) is one of four wildcards added to the Arqana Summer Sale on July 4-6 in Deauville. Consigned as lot 449, the 98-rated 4-year-old was most recently fourth in the G2 Grand Prix de Chantilly. The other wildcards are lot 495, Full Of Shade (Fr) (No Risk At All {Fr}), who was second over hurdles in her second start; the placed hurdler Sun Joy (Fr) (Hunter's Light {Ire}) (lot 496); and Le Grande Yves (Fr) (Triple Threat {GB}) (lot 497), a two-length winner over...

A total of seven wildcards have been added to the Tattersalls Ascot July Sale on July 12. Leading the new additions is Resilience (GB) (Aclaim {Ire}) (lot 55), who is a five-time winner from Mill House Racing Ltd. and is rated 85. Lot 89, the 5-year-old gelding Jack The Savage (GB) (Passing Glance {GB}), is also entered on the back of a debut victory in a Worcester bumper on July 4 from Laura Horsfall Racing. The catalogue now boasts 100 lots, with 27 fillies/mares in/out-of-training, 57 colts/geldings in/out-of-training, four point-to-pointers...

A 1/50th share in French Champion Sire Siyouni (Fr) (Pivotal {GB}) (lot 36), alongside several Royal Ascot runners, anchors the Tattersalls Online June Sale catalogue. Bidding will open at 10 a.m. local time on Friday, June 10 and close beginning at noon that same day. The bay has 62 group/listed winners to his credit, including Classic winners St Mark's Basilica (Fr), Sottsass (Fr), Ervedya (Fr), Laurens (Fr), and Dream And Do (Ire). He stands for €140,000 at the Aga Khan's Haras de Bonneval in 2022. Listed winner Logo Hunter (Ire)...

Jumps racing at Auteuil Racecourse in France was cancelled on Sunday due to an industrial dispute between France Galop employees and trade union members. The eight-race card included a listed race and a pair of Grade 2 races. The disagreement led to a demonstration in the parade ring. Although an emergency meeting was called to resolve the issue, a resolution was not reached and later talks between the two parties were also unsuccessful. After these efforts failed, the meeting was abandoned. "It's very frustrating for me and for everybody, a...

The challenges and opportunities facing the Irish breeding and racing sector took centre stage at the ITBA National Hunt Seminar on Apr. 4. Insights and a balanced debate on the current state of the sector were held between panelists Frank Motherway, Jane Mangan, Kevin Blake, Richard Pugh, Ruby Walsh and MC David Jennings. Other key talking points included breeders premiums/incentives, preparing our stock younger, French-breds and the current race programme. To view the seminar, please click here.

Key French racing industry stakeholders under both codes, trotting and the Thoroughbred industry attended a forum at ParisLongchamp on Mar. 15. The goal of the forum, organised by the French racing school, the AFASEC, in association with the governing bodies, France Galop and LeTROT and supported by Together for Racing International, was to unite the key stakeholders to share a day rich in reflection, exchange, and solutions in response to the stud and stable staff crisis within the French racing industry. Nearly 70 participants took part including, industry professionals; trainers,...