THE fixture list for next spring was updated this week and it has thrown up a few interesting talking points.

The first draft of the list had the Kilkennys (Bennetsbridge) clashing with the Ward Unions (Oldtown) on February 22nd – the same day that Naas Racecourse stages it Cheltenham trials day. Thankfully the Wards have moved back to their traditional February 1st slot.

The North Kerrys (Tralee) have moved from January 25th to January 18th and the Stonehalls’ Ballysteen meeting has moved from Saturday, May 2nd to Sunday, April 26th.

I notice that Sligo, a meeting I enjoyed attending. has not applied for a date and I believe that this is for financial reasons. There was always plenty of atmosphere at Sligo and the four-year-old race there was very hard-won. Road To Riches won it in 2012.

Although it is missing from the fixture list I am told that the two-day meeting at Ballingarry (Ormond Hunt) will close out the season over the June bank holiday weekend. I must congratulate the Ballingarry landowner Morgan Cahalan and his family on the exploits of Gordon Lord Byron and wish them every success on their global travels.

My fixture list tells me that the Meath and Tara point-to-point in the spring will take place on the new track inside Fairyhouse Racecourse. As I wrote in my previous column this track is a great addition to the circuit and jockeys who rode on it for the first time in the spring said it rode very well.

Greyhound industry not looking as rosy as racing

BUDGET 2015 brought very good news to the horse and greyhound sectors.

Minister Noonan allocated €54.4 million to Horse Racing Ireland for next year and €13.6 million to the Irish Greyhound Board.

As a result HRI will be better positioned to make a significant contribution to capital expenditure on racecourses. The budget also brought good news for the Horse Sport Industry as it received a grant of €600,000. This is the first time they have been recognised in a Budget.

However, the good news for the greyhound industry was tempered somewhat by the announcement by Tom Hayes, the Minister with responsibility for greyhounds, that the Harold’s Cross track in Dublin was superfluous to needs and would be sold within the next 18 months.

This is a detrimental decision for the industry as Harold’s Cross is one of three in the IGB portfolio capable of turning a profit. The decision to sell is being justified by the market value of the property but, using the same logic, you could argue that Shelbourne Park should be sold too.

Lifford greyhound track in Co Donegal is also on the market and, in the current climate, it is difficult to see new owners retaining it for racing. If it closes as a greyhound track it will leave a vast tranche of the country where owners will have no place to run their greyhounds; thus more owners and breeders will leave the industry.

Early season eyecatchers

THE Castletown-Geoghegan open winner Loughnagall will be a force in open races this season. Trained by Ciaran Murphy for Dot Love, the 11-year-old was second to Vital Plot at Loughanmore last Saturday.

A former hurdles and chase winner on the track, Loughnagall seemed to be the most impressive winner of the day at the Westmeath meeting though the clock said that honour went to Gowanauthat. This was a competitive five and six-year-old maiden which has already produced three winners.

There was a poignant result to the novice riders’ maiden at the Galway Blazers meeting in Loughrea, with winning rider Marshall Watson carrying the colours of his late uncle Rodney aboard Illusion Of Time.

Rodney, who died suddenly in September, was the proprietor of the very successful Killyhevlin Hotel, one of Northern Ireland’s top four-star hotels. He had a special love of the point-to-points scene and horse welfare issues, a tradition carried on from his late father Archie of ‘Flashy Boy’ fame. In 2008 Rodney was conferred with an MBE in recognition of his passion for Fermanagh tourism. May he rest in peace.

Top three riders difficult to beat at opening meetings

AFTER seven meetings and 42 races, three riders have won over 50% of races run.

Derek O’Connor (eight wins), Barry O’Neill (7) and Jamie Codd (7) have certainly dominated the opening exchanges and the surprising thing is that no other jockey has ridden more than one winner.

This just shows how hard it is for the younger riders to break through as no doubt the leading three are on the phones early Tuesday afternoon to look for the best rides available. With Roscommon unfortunately cancelled tomorrow we no doubt will see all three leading riders in action in Kilkenny. This will strengthen the card and should lead to competitive fare.

Speaking of Kilkenny, I must congratulate the ‘Cats’ on winning both the senior and minor hurling All-Ireland titles. There is a connection with point-to-points in that one of the mid-fielders on the minor team, Conor Browne, is the son of point-to-point bookmaker Ted Browne. It’s a shade of odds-on that Conor inherited his hurling skills from the dam side, as his mother is Angela Downey, a winner of 12 All-Ireland camogie medals and regarded as one of the all-time greats of the game.