Five Group 1 races included in new Champions’ Weekend

Horse Racing Ireland has announced a number of changes to the Irish flat pattern programme for the coming season.

The principal alteration concerns the creation of Irish Champions’ Weekend, a new two-day meeting featuring ten Group races, including five Group 1’s, to be run at Leopardstown on Saturday, September 13 and the Curragh on Sunday, September 14, as a joint venture.

The full Black Type programme for Irish Champions’ Weekend, which will see the Solonaway Stakes (8 furlongs, 3yo+) upgraded from Group 3 to Group 2 status, has now been formally approved by the European Pattern Committee.