Saturday switch for Irish Derby

The Irish Derby is to be run on a Saturday next year for the first time since 1987.

The colts’ Classic, under the Dubai Duty Free banner, will be run on a late afternoon card on Saturday, June 30, the middle day of the three-day meeting.

The Irish Derby swaps places with the Stobart Ireland Pretty Polly Stakes which moves to the Sunday (July 1).

Another late afternoon card in the 2012 fixture list, released by Horse Racing Ireland, is the Red Mills Irish Champion Stakes which takes pride of place at Leopardstown on Saturday September 8.

Another historic race, the Moyglare Stud Stakes for two-year-old fillies, takes place at the Curragh the following day.

The total number of fixtures is up from 336 to 349 due to 13 extra Dundalk meetings planned between January and March.

The number of individual days with racing has been increased by 25 from 267 to 292, leaving 74 blank days in the Irish calendar, down from 123 in 2003.

HRI chief executive Brian Kavanagh said: “The 2012 fixture list will see a number of exciting initiatives for Flat racing in Ireland.

“In line with its policy of recent years, HRI has ensured that 2012 will see racing staged on 292 days, an increase of 25 on this year, which should be of benefit to the betting industry.

“A key priority for HRI remains the need to increase racecourse crowds and it is pleasing that for the first six months of 2011 the average attendance was up by 3% compared to last year.

“We hope that the initiatives in the 2012 fixture list will lead to further growth.”