Last week began with a flat meeting at The Curragh and ended with another at Gowran Park. Sandwiched in between was the most successful Punchestown festival ever.
The Punchestown executive has made giant strides to get its house in order, particularly on the traffic front. Two years ago, partially due to heavy rain, the car parks were in chaos. One hour to get to the main gate was the norm for most motorists leaving after the last race. This time round, the Gardai on duty performed heroics and cut the delays to a minimum.
The new panoramic grandstand may not have been noticed by many of the rank and file but was certainly a great financial success, bulging at the seams with the lucrative corporate sector.
It was the racetrack itself that fell some way short of the high standards achieved elsewhere within the enclosures. Last January, jockey Denis Leahy was used as a scapegoat for the inadequacies of the racecourse management. His mount Ballyquin ran the wrong side of a doll before the second last fence in a handicap chase and, despite going on to win by 13 lengths, was disqualified. Three and a half months later, the doll remains in perfect isolation between the third last and penultimate fences. Why the powers that be have failed to insert a continuous rail on that stretch of track remains a mystery.
Last Wednesday in the Grade 1 Heineken Gold Cup Chase, the offending doll cost favourite Stormyfairweather the lead and almost certainly cost Addington Boy victory. In an incident packed race, Mick Fitzgerald riding the favourite was heading the wrong side of the doll when he had to take evasive action, which impeded the run of Addington Boy and virtually brought the eventual runner-up to a standstill. Mick Fitzgerald followed in the footsteps of Leahy and received a two-day ban for careless riding.
Although Addington Boy was undoubtedly an unlucky loser, Commanche Court was a worthy winner. Nine days earlier the Ted Walsh trained novice had captured The Irish Grand National at Fairyhouse. On only his sixth race over fences, the gelding never put a foot wrong, not even when having to jump over the stricken Micko`s Dream a matter of strides after the third last fence.
In a relatively short space of time, Ted Walsh has transformed the Kill stables he inherited from his late father into the envy of the racing world. Most trainers spend a lifetime searching for that one horse with star quality, whereas Ted Walsh looks out his window and sees three. Commanche Court, Rince Ri and Papillon have given immense pleasure to countless people over the course of the season and in the true spirit of jump racing, with a little luck, all three will return to do battle next year.
The highlight at Gowran Park on Sunday did not come in the featured Glanbia EBF Classic Trial, which was won in workmanlike fashion by Dermot Weld`s Quality Team, but in the first division of the Fillies Maiden. John Oxx unveiled Islandagore, a daughter of Indian Ridge out of Dancing Sunset. She showed a nice turn of foot and won in the style of a decent horse. Don`t be surprised to see her step up in class next time out.
All the flat races at Gowran Park were started by flag due to the presence of thunder and lightning in the surrounding area, although it remained sunny and dry throughout the afternoon at the Co. Kilkenny venue.
Vincent Finegan
