IT HAS been a highly encouraging week in the face of the economic recession, with the Irish Derby sponsorship secured and the continuation of two other classics confirmed.

You just can’t keep College Causeway out of the headlines.

WITH Shelbourne Aston going crashing out of the competition last weekend, Kildallon Maid and Headleys Bridge are now battling it out for favouritism in the John J Casey Open 575 at Shelbourne Park and tonight the pair both have outstanding claims of reaching next week’s decider.

OWEN MCKENNA, who kicked-off his annus mirabilis last year by taking the Guinness Trophy at Curraheen Park with Boherduff Light, has another major contender for this year's renewal in Student Pass who carded a fastest of the round 28.33 in heat 6 on Saturday night.

Yesterday’s Orange Order parade at Drumcree in Portadown was,