The Curragh gets fixtures back

IT WILL be a case of "as you were" for the Curragh in 2009 after Irish racing's headquarters yesterday regained the seven fixtures it had previously given up for the second half of next year.

With the €100 million redevelopment of the Curragh now on hold due to the current financial downturn, plans for the track to close for 18 months from next July to March 2011 have been scrapped.

That led Horse Racing Ireland's fixtures team to reshuffle the 2009 programme and as a result other tracks that had picked up some of Irish racing's most prestigious races have had to hand back the fixtures.

They include Naas which had hoped to stage its first Group One prize, the Moyglare Stud Stakes on August 30th, as well as the richest day's racing of the year with the Goffs Millions on September 27th.

Also back at the Curragh will be the Royal Whip meeting on August 16th which had been given to Navan as well as the St Leger (September 12th) and the National Stakes (September 13th) meetings which had been moved to Leopardstown.

Fairyhouse on October 11th also loses the Finale Stakes fixture.

"We are very grateful to the other racecourses for their understanding and adopting an entirely constructive approach towards the return of these fixtures," said the Curragh manager Paul Hensey.

Meanwhile, ground conditions at Navan are currently "heavy" ahead of Sunday's Troytown Chase meeting which also includes the Grade two Monksfield Novice Hurdle.

Just eight entries were left in the two-and-a-half mile race at yesterday's forfeit stage but they include Noel Meade's highly-rated Pandorama who won his jumping debut by a dozen lengths at Navan earlier this month.

Also in the race are the Paul Nolan duo Aura About You and Alpha Ridge who won by 25 lengths over three miles at Cork on his last start.

A total of 21 horses remain in the Troytown and they include the Paul Nicholls-trained Officier De Reserve who could bid to continue the British champion trainer's run of big race success in Ireland this season.

Also in the race are last year's winner Royal County Star as well as Operation Houdini who was disqualified from first in the Cork National.

The Cheltenham and Punchestown bumper winner Cousin Vinny has an entry in the two-mile maiden hurdle on the same card while another Willie Mullins-trained star Cooldine has the option of running in the Beginners Chase.

"He has schooled well," Mullins said yesterday. "We think he will make a better chaser than hurdler but it doesn't always work out that way."

Cooldine is currently as low as 12 to 1 for next March's SunAlliance Chase despite having yet to appear over fences.

Robbie Hennessy will begin his new training career in style at Newcastle on Saturday week when the former champion hurdler Sublimity will be his first runner by challenging for the Fighting Fifth Hurdle.

"He will be my first runner and in a £100,000 Grade One hurdle - we certainly don't do things by half!" Hennessy said yesterday. "Barring accidents he'll be at Newcastle on Saturday week," he added.

Hennessy's plans to gallop Sublimity at Fairyhouse yesterday had to be cancelled so instead the former John Carr-trained star was schooled by jockey Philip Carberry.

"We were going to go to Fairyhouse but the weather was so bad it was cancelled. So we schooled him on the all-weather and Philip was happy with him. He jumped brilliant," the trainer added.

Hennessy is hopeful ground conditions at Newcastle will be suitable for Sublimity who ran fourth at Cheltenham last season in his attempt to retain the title he won so spectacularly in 2007.

"I watched the racing at Newcastle on Saturday and it was good with softer places. The long-range forecast is fairly good so if we get the same I'll be fairly happy," he said.

Auction for race sponsorship

IT MIGHT run the risk of attracting an embarrassing title but Fairyhouse are auctioning on E-Bay the chance to sponsor a race at their winter festival later this month, writes Brian O'Connor.

The opening race on the prestigious Grade One card on Sunday week is a juvenile hurdle and bids can be made to sponsor it up to this Monday evening.

The successful bidder will be allowed name the race and

will present the trophy as well as getting 10 free entrance tickets. There is an opening bid of €49.99 and bids on E-Bay will close next Monday at 7.43pm.

"The race could go to a company, or to someone looking for a novel way to propose, or wishing a family member a happy birthday," said Fairyhouse's sales and marketing manager, Amber Byrne.

"It is a bit of fun but hopefully it will serve its function and attract a new sponsor to Fairyhouse."

Only bookmakers are barred from bidding as they would clash with the Bar One Racing firm who are also sponsoring on the card.

Fairyhouse's Sunday card is one of the most prestigious pre-Christmas meetings in Ireland with the likes of Hardy Eustace and Brave Inca due to appear in the Hatton's Grace Hurdle.

The Drinmore Chase and the Royal Bond Hurdle are also run on the programme.