YES, I know that they are more than seven months away, but changes have been made in the dates of the four big National Hunt festivals in Ireland and Britain in 2011. Always keen to ensure that they don't clash, or at least try to refrain from racing on the same days, Punchestown racecourse has moved next year's fixture into May.

With Cheltenham taking March 15 to 18 and Aintree staging the Grand National on April 9, the two British racing festivals have a nice break between them.

As is customary in Ireland, Fairyhouse and the Irish Grand National moves its date on a yearly basis to ensure that it falls on Easter Monday.

With next year's Easter religious festival being staged on April 25, Punchestown have moved their festival to May 3, ending on the 7th.

This puts the two Irish festivals extremely close to each other, but at least they don't overlap.

Initial indications are that prominent trainers are in support of the move and that Punchestown will retain its premier place in Irish racing while allowing the Irish Grand National to be run on its historic day.

REVIEW OF THE WEEK

Racing is at its busiest all over Ireland at present, with some local yards succeeding in gaining a win or two.

Colin Bowe sent 'King'sandqueens' to Kilbeggan on August 20, and the five-year-old daughter of 'Kings Theatre' sprang a 12/1 surprise under Barry O'Neill to win.

While she failed to follow up a week later at Wexford, this filly, owned and bred by Patrick Doyle, looks like a good recruit.

With most of our other jumps yards having a blank week, the flat kingpins of Aidan O'Brien and Jim Bolger continue to churn out the winners.

Bolger sent the 'Whipper' two-year-old, 'Whipless', to The Curragh on August 21 to win at a well-supported 11/2 under Kevin Manning.

They recorded a nice double at this meeting when joining forces again with 'Banimpire', a two-year-old by ' Holy Roman Empire', winning at 15/8 favourite.

They followed up in Sligo on August 24 with 'Deorai', a two-year-old colt by 'Choisir', to take the auction maiden, and concluded their haul for the week at Tipperary on Thursday when taking the handicap with 'Priomhbhean', a three-year-old filly by 'Galileo', at 7/4.

Also at this meeting, Aidan O'Brien and his son, Joseph, joined forces to win the mile and a half conditions race with 'Flying Cross', a three-year-old colt by 'Sadler's Wells', at 6/4 on.

Meanwhile, down in Cork on August 22, O'Brien and Murtagh also won with another odds-on chance, 'Await The Dawn', a 'Giants Causeway' three-year-old, in the mile and two conditions race.

Over the jumps, local owner, John Brennan from Ballywilliam, saw his colours carried to success by 'Norther Bay' in the Beginners Chase at Down Royal on Friday last, building on his placed effort at Wexford on his last outing.

Trained in Co. Kilkenny by Eoin Griffin, this son of 'Alamo Bay' has plenty of ability and could go in again.

EYE-CATCHERS

Jim Bolger gave an eye-catching debut to 'Riochas', a two-year-old daughter of 'Val Royal',at last week's Wexford meeting. Having missed the break from the stalls, the filly was well out the back for most of the mile and half a furlong trip, but stayed on stoutly to indicate an investment in the future might be worthwhile.

Two other horses worthy of mention on their last runs are the Michael Cullentrained 'Flight Control' and Colm Murphy's 'Prince Rocco'.

Cullen's 'Flight Control', a five-year-old by 'Lahib', stayed on to be third in a two-mile maiden hurdle at Kilbeggan at 50/1 under Martin Doran, and he should be kept in mind if running again, with a little more distance not going astray.

Colm Murphy might just have sweetened up 'Prince Rocco' enough to be in a position to raise a winning flag again as the nine-year-old made a favourable effort at Kilbeggan in the opportunity hurdle to be fourth at 16/1.

- DICK WHITE