There was a good omen for Munster ahead of the big game on Sunday when Ruby Suesday scored under Declan McDonogh in the second at Cork.

This Andy Slattery-trained daughter of Refuse To Bend came home well along the stand's rail to beat As You Like It by a length and a half.

John Bernard O'Connor, the successful owner, explained: "Monique Howlett, wife of Munster player, Doug, had a baby called Ruby Sue last year, so the filly is named after her."

Meanwhile Slattery was glad to gain a small measure of compensation for the loss of Holy Road at Tipperary last night. He said: "Unfortunately Holy Road, who John Bernard also owned, broke a cannon-bone when falling at the last. They are the ups and downs of this game. You just have to take the rough with the smooth and enjoy the good days."

O'Connor is a long-standing patron of the Slatterys, the pair enjoyed their first winner when Andy partnered Miss Gosling to win on March 12th 1988. O'Connor joked: "We're like an old married couple at this stage, he gets sick of me at times for telling him how to train but we always get back together in the end."