Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) expects to submit to Government its final plan for the development of the country’s second all-weather racecourse in Tipperary shortly, although some uncertainty remains around when building work will begin.
Racing’s ruling body unveiled its 2025 fixture list on Friday with 395 meetings planned, the same number as this year. However, HRI also published a “shadow” list should Tipperary, which it owns, be closed for development.
In that event, 10 fixtures will be moved entirely to other tracks while races from the October mixed programme will be divided between the Curragh and Gowran.
HRI hopes to begin work on Tipperary next Spring with a completion date currently planned for the last quarter of 2026.
The creation of a new all-weather circuit at Tipperary — originally priced at €18 million — has been delayed by the Covid pandemic and planning delays.
Tipperary County Council granted planning approval in 2022, but a lengthy appeals process ended in January of this year when An Bord Pleanála granted permission for its construction.
Delivery of a second all-weather track, alongside Dundalk, is a key HRI ambition. Main contract tender prices are expected later this month when HRI will seek final approval for its business case from the Department of Agriculture under the Government’s infrastructure guidelines.
The speed of that approval could determine whether HRI’s alternative fixture list needs to be used.
Other tracks were asked to apply to stage Tipperary fixtures in the event of closure. Dundalk (twice), Fairyhouse, Gowran and Cork stand to gain on the flat while Listowel, Punchestown, Wexford, Limerick and Galway are in line to host an extra National Hunt card each.
HRI’s chief executive Suzanne Eade has said she expects the new track at Tipperary to be in use by the end of 2026 and fully operational the following year when the course will hold about 30 meetings a year, including on the existing turf track.
On Friday, HRI director of racing Jonathan Mullin said formulating the 2025 fixture list involved consultation with a wide variety of industry stakeholders.
“In particular, given the need to produce a ‘shadow’ 2025 fixture list to accommodate the planned development of an all-weather track at Tipperary, we thank the racecourses for their considerable contributions,” he said.
Four “floating fixtures” have also been kept in reserve to be used when there is a very high demand for opportunities to run the horse population.