The on-going saga of the proposed amalgamation of the Turf Club, AIR and IHA took a new twist this week when several members of AIR broke ranks and sided with the Government.
Gowran Park, Tipperary and Cork racecourses all made statements supporting the Minister`s proposal to channel the off-course betting tax into racing, in return for the three main bodies within the sport joining together. These statements are in direct opposition to the stance taken by their association and have managed to further muddy the waters regarding this issue.
Formula 1 boss Eddie Jordan`s birthday celebrations didn`t go according to plan at Thurles on Thursday. He arrived by helicopter, flanked by attractive blondes (his wife Marie included), to see the family`s two runners, Boulevard and Somemanforoneman. Both horses started favourite but neither managed to win.
Aidan O`Brien seemed a little surprised by the defeat of Apollo Victoria at Gowran Park on Saturday. The son of Sadler`s Wells hadbeen touted as a possible Derby contender but was out-battled in a driving finish by another of the sire`s progeny, the Dermot Weld trained Grand finale.
O`Brien said afterwards : 'The winner is probably a much improved colt and as our horse was giving him 7lbs it was probably quite a good run'. I do however get the feeling that the team at Ballydoyle may have been using Apollo Victoria as a yardstick to gauge the strength of their three year olds.
The stewards at Gowran Park brought in trainer Pat Hughes to explain the apparent improvement in form of Belle Starr (2nd in a handicap hurdle) compared to her two previous efforts. The stewards noted Hughes` explanation that the mare`s poor runs were 'possibly as a result of being too highly handicapped', there was only 2lbs difference between all three runs. Hopefully the irony of the exercise was not wasted on either party.
The bumper at Fairyhouse on Sunday may not have been a vintage affair but it did bring to light two future winners. Though neither of them finished in the first four, Crimley Crumb (Joanna Morgan) and Some Trainer (Tony Martin) both put in eye-catching work in the closing stages.
Vincent Finegan
