Fixture list for 2012 a retrograde step

The calendar of major events for 2012, which has been just released by the Irish Greyhound Board, contains a number of changes that have already generated plenty of debate that is sure to continue for some time.

I have never been one to castigate change but I honestly feel that a few backward steps have been taken with the fixtures for next year. The major one would have to be the decision to lump three of the major open competitions of the year into a sixteen week period.

The Ladbrokes.com Irish Derby will commence at Shelbourne on August 1st and will reach its conclusion on Saturday, September 8th. It will then be followed less than two weeks by the first round of the Irish Laurels at Curraheen Park which is listed to start on Saturday, September 22nd but will surely start at least a day earlier. The final of the Laurels will be run on Saturday, October 20 and the first round of the St Leger is listed to start on October 27th but again is likely to start a day earlier.

Unless there is an iron dog out there we can take it that no dogs will even attempt to bid for the Derby/ Laurels/ St Leger treble which are all run over the similar 550 yards distance. And remember, the valuable and prestigious two-run Champion Stakes will be run shortly before the Derby on July 14th and 21st.

This schedule is nothing short of crazy. I was castigated by some Cork folk earlier in the year when suggesting that the Laurels might move back to its former Summer setting which was very successful over the years. So what we are left with now is an unfairly tough schedule for our classic dogs.

We can also assume that Waterford folk will be disappointed by the clash between the Red Mills Waterford Masters and the St Leger. Both of these valuable and prestigious events are due to clash directly and both will suffer, and Waterford won’t necessarily be the worst affected.

Another decision that has generated plenty of discussion is staging the Derby final on the All-Ireland Hurling final weekend. The first obvious problem concerns the availability of hotel accommodation in the city on such a weekend. A decision was taken to avoid the All-Ireland clash some years ago due to accommodation problems and also because the Derby final is now well capable of filling Shelbourne on a stand-alone Saturday between All-Ireland finals. But now we have reverted, obviously in a bid for Sky coverage.

Enough of the fixtures debate, let’s switch into festive mood and consider the fantastic December the sport has enjoyed. Apart from a deservedly relatively lenient Budget, the crowds at the tracks and the betting figures generated have provided a real fillip to the sport and hopefully the handful of fixtures remaining will further enhance these results.

There will be a festive touch to tonight’s meetings at Curraheen Park, Enniscorthy, Limerick and Shelbourne. Cork patrons will partake of Mulled Wine and Mince Pies and will have the final of the Gain Feeds Christmas Stake as the feature. There will be racing at Curraheen on Thursday and Friday of next week.

There is a virtual all finals card at Limerick and there is the unusual plus for the last placed dogs of a bag of Formula One dog feed. Enniscorthy are offering free admission for all as well as complimentary finger food for their final meeting until January 26th.

Big race of the night, though, will be at Shelbourne where the final of the hugely successful Christmas Oaks will be the highlight. This is a cracking affair with the likes of Cabra Millie, Tyrur Mozzletoff, Priceless Spark, Calling Spice and Lemon Velvet chasing the prize of €5,000. It could go anyway but Cabra Millie is in such great form she is going to take the world of beating.

Then tomorrow night the final of the Ted Hegarty Marathon will top the bill at Harold’s Cross. There is field of genuine eight bend stars and the marginal selection is the reigning champion Slaneyside Havoc to win from Storm Pockets and Skywalker Cindy.

Staying in Dublin, there will be a cut back in racing during the months of January and February, in keeping with the nationwide cutback of loss-making fixtures in those two months. There will be no Monday racing at HX or Wednesday night racing at Shelbourne. All other IGB owned tracks will also have reduced racing schedules in the early months.

Tralee will be the venue for another fine programme on Friday and all who go through the turnstiles will receive a complimentary pass for another night’s racing. Question is, how many winners will Pat O’Connor have tomorrow night after his incredible performance on Tuesday when the young Tarbert trainer sent out five winners at his local track. It cemented his position at the top of the Tralee Trainer’s table with 69 winners, a very creditable effort after just a few years in possession of a licence.

Entries for the Festival Unraced Stake at Clonmel will close tomorrow and the first round will be held on Sunday week if the entry exceeds 48. Failing that the first round will not start until January 5th and 8th. There are three finals on tonight’s Clonmel card and racing will then resume on Sunday week, January 1st.