NINA Carberry surprised plenty of people by polling so well in the European elections and on Thursday evening it was confirmed that the former top amateur had secured a seat in Brussels and Strasbourg.

There was good news too for Kildare’s ‘racing’ councillors Darragh Fitzpatrick and Bernard Caldwell, both of whom kept their seats in the local elections.

Also on the Kildare County Council is Naas Independent Ireland candidate Ger Dunne, who was acting as a fence steward at Punchestown at the weekend and was running in and out of the count centre in the Event Centre next door in between races.

In Tipperary, Eddie Moran - who acts as owner liaison at numerous tracks - was re-elected to the County Council, and in Dublin the founder of Equine Medirecord, Pierce Dargan, was elected as a councillor for Fine Gael in Glencullen-Sandyford.

Bernard Caldwell, head of the Irish Stablestaff Association and based in Leixlip, said: “This was my seventh time to get elected. I only put up 26 posters and did one leaflet drop. It amazes me to hear politicians going on about the environment and then plaster everywhere with posters.”

Although he is a Fianna Fáil man, Bernard wishes Fine Gael’s Nina Carberry the best of luck in Brussels. “It’s going to be a different lifestyle and I hope she adapts to it. It’s hard work but I’m sure her party will look after her. Barry Cowen (FF) also looks likely to take a seat in Europe and he is another man with racing connections. I doubt if the European Parliament will be too concerned about Irish racing but if an issue does crop up then it’s no harm to have Nina and Barry there for us.”