Fairyhouse has benefitted most from the revised fixtures list drawn up because of the closure of Punchestown until April. The Co Meath track has been given three new dates in the revised list drawn up by the Irish Horseracing Authority fixtures committee including December 7th which is scheduled to be MMI Stockbrokers Chase day.

Nine of the 10 days which Punchestown has had to give up due to building development have been rescheduled with the New Year's Eve fixture the only one to be dropped.

Navan and Cork have been given two days each with the October 2nd meeting now scheduled for the Mallow venue likely to cause debate among those who normally combine the Goffs Yearling Sales with racing at Punchestown on that day.

Thurles has been given the date on January 24th and Downpatrick will now race on January 7th. To accommodate the revised fixture list, the meeting originally planned for Thurles on January 17th will now be run at Naas. The IHA programmes committee will review the list of rescheduled fixtures following consultations with sponsors and the tracks.

New Dates: Thursday, October 2nd: Cork; Thursday, October 23rd: Fairyhouse; Sunday, November 2nd: Navan; Saturday, November 15th: Cork; Sunday, December 7th: Fairyhouse; Thursday, January 8th: Downpatrick; Saturday, January 24th: Thurles; Wednesday, February 11th: Navan; Sunday, February 15th: Fairyhouse.

It has now been confirmed that Kevin Darley will ride Pilsudski in Saturday's Esat Digifone Irish Champion Stakes. The colt's usual rider this season, Michael Kinane, will be on Dance Design for Dermot Weld.

Another confirmed raider is Godolphin's Alhaarth, the top two-year-old of 1995 who won the Sea World Stakes at the Irish Derby meeting in June.