FAIRYHOUSE REVIEW 01-01-01
28 non-runners, no Tote in operation for the first two races and the first ever implementation of the alternative handicap were the main talking points for the 4,500 in attendance at the opening meeting of the New Year at Fairyhouse.
The weights for the featured Fairyhouse Handicap Hurdle were increased by four pounds with the defection of top-weight Topacio, facilitating bottom-weight Poetry Man to run off his proper mark.
The altered weights had little effect on the chances of Poetry Man as he failed to figure in the closing stages, finishing a remote sixth to easy winner Kapok.
Edward O'Grady said afterwards of the winner: ' he is a youg horse and improving all the time, he will probably now go for the Pierse Hurdle at Leopardstown.'
A good pointer to Kapok's chances in the Pierse Hurdle is that Mantles Prince also won the Fairyhouse Handicap Hurdle prior to his success at leopardstown last season.
The Tote were unable to take bets from patrons on the first two races because of problems with the telephone lines between the track and the Autotote headquarters in Ballymahon, Co. Roscommon.
In a bizarre twist, dividends were declared for the two contests, as punters at Tramore were able to bet on both races.
The decision by trainer Paul Roche to bypass his local Tramore meeting and send Northern Sound to Fairyhouse paid off when the mare put in a gutsy performance to land the three mile one furlong Handicap Chase.
She will next run in the Thyestes Chase at Gowran Park enroute to another crack at the Irish Grand National, a race in which she finished fifth last season.
Backdoor Champion (5/1-5/2) landed a gamble in the hands of Tony Martin when coming home 2 1/2L clear in the concluding Bumper from One Night Out.
The result would surely have been different had the runner-up not lost considerable ground when failing to negociate the bend leaving the straight on the first circuit.
