Very few events can cause more than 16,000 people to fall silent, but when a crowd has come to the races to acclaim a queen, only to watch her carried out on her shield, a shocked hush is the only appropriate response.

TOM TAAFFE, very much looking forward to throwing down the gauntlet to Beef Or Salmon with Kicking King in Saturday’s James Nicholson at Down Royal, was on the mark at Clonmel yesterday when Man About Town justified favouritism in the John Costigan Memorial Novice Hurdle.

Martin Pipe is responsible for 12 of the 57 entries for the £70,000 (€101,787) Singer & Friedlander National Trial at Uttoxeter on January 31.

What Odds completed a hat-trick for local trainer Tucker Geraghty and the Dee Racing Syndicate at Fairyhouse this afternoon to justify favouritism in the Duggan Brothers Porterstown Handicap Chase.