BRENDA Daly and her team are circling at the start, waiting for the white flag to be raised for their opening two-day meeting at Listowel on Sunday and Monday week, the June holiday weekend. This is a great warm-up for their hugely popular seven-day festival in September, though it has also become a firm date in the diary for many people, especially visitors to Kerry.

Eight months have elapsed since racegoers last graced the enclosures at Listowel and Brenda, with her team, have the track and all facilities ready to be tested. When I caught up with her this week, she told me about plans.