Flat Racing 2017

[arsenalfh]

Just noticed the Irish Lincoln is next weekend. With all the buzz around the horse racing world with Cheltenham you forget the flat season is about to begin.

The Irish Lincoln takes place at Naas this year with the Curragh being redeveloped. It's nice that some of the smaller tracks are getting a spread of the better races because if we're ever going to get people really excited about flat racing in Ireland it needs to be made more accessible. The Curragh is just too awkward to get to and dominates the pattern calendar.

Unfortunately we have the ridiculous situation that the Irish Derby and the second day of Irish Champions Weekend in particular will be run in front of a capped crowd of 6,000. Great to showcase two of Ireland's best days racing with a capped crowd and in front of a building site. Despite being branded as a weekend event, approximately 10,000 of the people who go to Leopardstown will not be able to go to the Curragh. Both races should have been moved to Leopardstown this year and I would even make the case for moving the second day of Irish Champions Weekend to Leopardstown permanently.

What is everyone looking forward to this year?

[BillyHills]

Interesting comments.

Wont belong before the English flat season kicks off either. Although with all of the AW stuff over here it feels like its a 12 month season these days.

Not always been that keen on the flat but I do like the fact we have lots of Festivals and its not just all down to one week of racing like Cheltenham. Too much emphasis is on those 4 days for me and its hardly surprising so many horses miss the big races due to injury setbacks. Its just too much to ask these horses to be in peak form for the second week of March, year in year out, and any slight setback means they wont run.

On the flat you can campaign a horse early for Doncaster, Newmarket and Epsom or go for the second half of the season, which is my favourite at Ascot, Goodwood and York.

I'll be honest i tend not to get too involved in the Irish flat racing season and it was interesting to read your thoughts about the Curragh and the problems it has. Living here i never even thought it was a hard place to get too? Just shows how ignorant you can be from afar. I will try and take more interest this season as i will be doing the ratings for every race. I'm even getting into Dundalk this year, its funny how the same horses seem to run at Dundalk all the time.

Do you get to many meetings??

Since i have moved i am now based in the North West so places like Chester and Haydock are local. Went to the Chester Cup last year and have been to the big York Ebor Festival a few times.

Keep us informed