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.