1985

SUNDAY racing, the dream of some and the nightmare of others, was launched last week at Leopardstown. The weather was ideal, not warm nor sunny enough for the beach, but not cold not wet enough to preclude attending an outdoor event.

The official attendance figure was 12,000 and I cannot recall ever seeing such a high percentage of women, children and under 25s at a racemeeting before. The betting turnover was in excess of £600,000, which figure was divided into a bookmaker-Tote ratio of £440,000 to £163,000. Yet a number of the major layers complained that business was very slack.

If the attendance figures at the other five Sunday meetings scheduled are expected to match up, a serious crowd problem would arise in all but one instance. No doubt lessons will be learned from this venture, but by the nature of the promotional bias, aimed at family involvement, turnstiles, and to a lesser degree the Tote, are going to be more busy than bookmakers. Certainly there was an infectious air of gaiety about the whole proceedings that one does not associate with racemeetings generally.

While the feature race went to the John Oxx-trained Irish Folly, partnered by Dermot Hogan, it was once again the formidable partnership of Dermot Weld and Michael Kinane who scooped the pool with a treble via the Moyglare Stud Farm-owned pair, Seasonal Pickup and All White, plus Mrs Bertram Firestone’s newcomer Vivid Impression, who will enter the equine history books as the first ever Sunday winner in these islands.

Badly drawn in the Kilmacud Two-Year-Old Maiden, Vivid Impression was at the back for over half a mile, but once allowed her head she sailed by her rivals coming to the furlong pole to beat Dromod Hill and Set Dancer by one length and two and a half lengths.

Irish National Stud’s exceptional profits

1985

THE fashionable pastime of knocking semi-state companies that make astronomical losses is a non-runner when it comes to the Irish National Stud. Profits soared last year to a new record high of £472,000, and were almost £80,000 up on the 1983 peak.

There were some interesting fluctuations in the stud farm account. On the plus side stud fees, with Lord Gayle showing the way and the contribution from Tap On Wood now aided by Indian King, scored healthy increases. These were more than offset by higher operating costs and a disappointing loss from its bloodstock trading – a difference of £195,000 compared with 1983.

The farm operation reflected the buoyant state of the market, with profits rising by over £80,000, while the Japanese Gardens and allied activities reported a big jump in turnover and a small profit. The austerity drive continued with another reduction in office and administration expenses.

One outstanding achievement of chairman Larry Ryan’s last term of office was to organise a financial meeting with representatives from banks, owners, breeders, trainers, bloodstock agents and sales companies to look at the whole question of accepting bloodstock as collateral. He happily announces that “the bankers and all concerned in the industry have agreed in principle and all that remains to be done is to finalise the mechanics of a suitable scheme”.

He also referred to the threatened bypass and here I feel that more activity should be in evidence. Surely now is the time to make it a national issue. Imagine the outcry if it was proposed to build houses in the Phoenix Park.

Taaffe family to the fore at Killarney

1960

ANOTHER Killarney fixture has come and gone, and once again this particular Co Kerry meeting must be voted a big success. The weather could have been better, but happily on Wednesday, Ladies Day, the sun shone brightly and the big attendance obviously enjoyed themselves.

The racing itself seldom lacked interest. There were several close finishes, while on the final afternoon the Inisfallen Handicap Steeplechase resulted in a dead-heat between San Marco and Carraroe. San Marco, owned and trained by George Wells, was an outright winner on the first day.

Over the last three days backers did well, the great majority of the winners being soundly supported. For the first time the extended forecast betting on the Tote was in operation and it seemed to be quite popular with small punters.

The Inisfallen Handicap Steeplechase provided the big thrill on Thursday, Carraroe (T Taaffe) and San Marco (R Coonan) running a dead-heat. As the pair passed the post opinions varied as to which had won, while some astute judges forecast a dead-heat. How right they were, the print clearly showing that the pair were level on the line.

Ten strides from the post San Marco held a very slight advantage but Toss Taaffe put in some trojan work to get the Phonsie O’Brien-trained Carraroe up again to share the spoils.

Toss Taaffe’s father, the Rathcoole owner-trainer Tom Taaffe, and another son, Pat, shared in the victory of Heather Song in the steeplechase for the Windsor Lad Cup. Heather Song led from start to finish, but Pat had to give him a few sharp ‘reminders’ on the run in to hold off Iona Que. The latter ran on each afternoon, winning once and finishing second on the other occasions.

The Major rules again at the Curragh

1985

THE quietly executed success of Shoot A Line in the Irish Guinness Oaks at the Curragh last Saturday continued the seasonal dominance of trainer Dick Hern and jockey Willie Carson. We find that this was Carson’s fifth classic win of 1980, having won the 2000 Guineas, Derby, Oaks and French Derby.

Cock of the walk last season with dual Derby winner Troy, Dick Hern maintains his exalted position this year having completed the Derby-Oaks double with Henbit and Bireme, and Shoot A Line completes a hat-trick. Owner Mr R.A. Budgett, who bred the filly, has had horses in training for 34 years and those of us old enough to remember can recall the coup landed over his Commisar in the Lincolnshire Handicap. As he wryly remarked to me afterwards: “I don’t bet – nowadays.”

Rugby makes the news

1955

WITH their forwards badly outplayed, the British Isles touring team was beaten by 20 points (a goal and five penalty goals) to nothing by Eastern Provinces at Port Elizabeth on Saturday last.

With so many players injured, the full-back position was filled by the young centre, A O’Reilly, who performed very creditably and saved at least one try by a fine tackle near the line. The touring side met much weaker opposition on Wednesday when they ran up five goals and three tries against North Eastern Counties.

O’Reilly, who seems to have found the position which suits him best and may fill it in the first Test on August 8th, played splendidly on the wing. He scored three tries, running with speed and determination and beating several opponents on each occasion.

The rugby tourists were on Thursday ordered to take Aureomycin every four hours, and vitamin pills with their meals, to ward off a threatened mumps epidemic among the players. The treatment was prescribed after a second correspondent accompanying the tourists went down with the illness.