Bertie has Nice day off at the races

THINGS started to look up a bit for Taoiseach Bertie Ahern when he backed two winners at Listowel races yesterday.

“I’m having a great day with only small bets. It’s beautiful here in the sunshine,” he said as he strolled around the crowded enclosure shaking hands and exchanging pleasantries.

Marking his card was North Kerry Fianna Fáil TD Thomas McEllistrim, and there was also plenty of advice from a large FF entourage that included Ministers Joe Walsh and John O’Donoghue, Deputy Ned O’Keeffe and former Taoiseach Albert Reynolds.

Taking a breather from affairs of the nation, Bertie also backed his embattled finance minister, Charlie McCreevy, stating that he was doing a great job. “We must manage the economy. We must manage our way through these difficulties and we’re still doing better than 3% annual growth,” the Taoiseach said.

Dismissing calls for Mr McCreevy’s resignation, he remarked: “As far as I’m concerned he’s doing a great job. He shouldn’t resign until he’s 75.”

It was onto political business for the Taoiseach last night when he addressed a meeting on the Nice Referendum in Tralee and he will be at the National Ploughing Championships in Ballacolla, Co Laois, today.

All the sporting luck seems to be with Northern Ireland these days

and the 140,000 Guinness Kerry National was won by 9/1 shot Monty’s Pass, owned by a four-man syndicate from Bangor, Co Down.

Trained by Jimmy Mangan of Conna, Co Cork, it was a popular winner and among those with a few quid on was well-known Tralee publican Billy Kirby.

A jubilant syndicate member, Mike Futter, disclosed afterwards that he had an each-way bet which yielded stg£200,000. “The horse had won five times already and we were pretty confident,” he said.

A special guest at the races was Killarney-born jockey Jim Culloty, winner of both the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National earlier this year.

At a function organised by Deputy Jimmy Dennihan, Culloty was made a presentation to mark his achievements.