The summer season drew to a close with the final festival meeting of the year in Listowel. Although bad weather made it a tough slog for both horses and punters alike, by the end of the week it was the starting stalls that came in for most stick.
The impressive victory of Saratan on Tuesday was somewhat tempered by the fact that the runner-up Natalie Knows failed to receive a fair start. Her stall failed to open with the rest of the field and she lost the best part of 10 lengths to her rivals.
The starter, Joe Collins, was not in a position to see the offending stall and allowed the race to continue. Without doubt, Collins would have declared a false start and recalled the runners had he seen the incident. The stewards inquired into the matter, hearing evidence from both Collins and Natalie Knows' rider Eddie Ahern, but it did not even seem to cross their minds that the race should have been declared void. The official report from the enquiry was succinct with only 23 words needed to brush over the affair.
In the opening race on Thursday, three stalls were late opening, including that of the odds-on favourite Leopard Spot. Michael Kinane's mount lost approximately six lengths at the gate only to be beaten a short-head at the finish. Surely now the stewards would act? Not a chance, this time they did not even hold an enquiry.
Before racing on Saturday the stalls were overhauled and then tested with the aid of video equipment to try and rectify the situation, but obviously the problem persisted as the Stewards decided that the remaining flat races would be started by tape. Why this action could not have taken place after racing on either Tuesday or Thursday is hard to fathom.
If a horse goes the wrong side of a marker doll in a three-mile chase or if a rider weighs-in one and a half pounds light they are automatically disqualified, despite the fact that they may have won by a distance. Natalie Knows was at a disadvantage equivalent to more than a stone in weight, Leopard Spot, marginally less, but nothing was done.
The 'New Zealand' stalls that have been in use at most Irish tracks for over a decade cause persistent problems. Along with the technical problems, a far higher percentage of horses are withdrawn at tracks where they are used. When a horse is unruly at the start, ideally, it should be loaded last. With the 'New Zealand' stalls this is not possible as their design necessitates each runner being loaded in draw sequence.
With vast sums of money about to flood the industry once the proposed merger is finalised, the time has come to sort this issue out. Either every racecourse acquires it's own starting stalls or the Turf Club takes full responsibility for them.
A record crowd of 25,000 witnessed the victory of Mac's Supreme in Wednesday's Guinness Kerry National which completed a unique treble for trainer Ferdy Murphy who also won the Scottish and Midlands versions earlier this year.
The winner was having only the tenth start of his career. He severed a tendon on his racecourse debut and but for the care of Curragh vet Ned Gowing may not have raced again. This was his fourth success from five starts over fences and he remains a novice for the coming season.
Wednesday also saw a presentation made to Listowel secretary Brendan Daly, who has reached a half- century of years' service to his local track.
Christy Roche is not afraid to give youngsters a chance and his decision to use seven pound claiming amateur Alan Crowe in two of the most valuable jump races of the week was fully vindicated when he partnered both Spokesman and High Stakes to victory.
The hawkers, whose dulcet tones can be heard at the exits of all tracks, have been hit by inflation. The normal 'four bars for a pound' was replaced with the less enticing ' three bars for a pound' at Listowel. At least the calorie conscious can breathe a sigh of relief.
