HORSE Racing Ireland (HRI) yesterday published the fixture list for 2021, on a day when they also announced the return of owners to the sport from Monday. These were two positive moves at a time of uncertainty still due to a national increase in cases of coronavirus.

Next year will see the overall number of fixtures increase from the original 2020 figure of 370 to 380. The list contains 379 meetings at this stage, as one ‘floating fixture’ will be kept in reserve, to be programmed at short notice by the HRI Fixtures Committee at a time when demand for opportunities to run is very high.