Hector makes beeline for the track

GOING at a somewhat slower pace than the horses on the track, colourful TV personality Hector Ó hEochagain arrived by pony and trap for the opening of Listowel Races yesterday.

Busy as a bee, Ó hEochagain, who is fronting a major advertising campaign to promote racing, helped stir up some excitement among both adults and children in the large crowds.

Also there was Sports Minister John O’Donoghue, who said he was looking forward to seeing his native Kerry win the All-Ireland football final next Sunday.

The harvest racing festival, being held for the 146th time, is drawing thousands of racing fans from many parts of the country and bringing a multi-million euro bonanza to north Kerry.

Other Kerry towns such as Ballybunion, Tralee and Killarney are also benefiting from the spill-over.

Traditionally, it was an occasion where farmers from all over Munster relaxed after a successful harvest, but Listowel Races attracts all kinds of people and is one of the country’s biggest.

Punters got off to a good start yesterday, when 3/1 favourite Cratloe Castle, trained by Michael Hourigan in nearby Co Limerick, won the first race, while first past the post in the feature event, the Kerry Spring Hurdle, was Tupenny Cody at odds of 9/2.

This is the first year that the seven-day September meeting in Listowel started on a Sunday, so as not to clash with next Sunday’s All-Ireland football final between Kerry and Mayo.

Plenty of thrills are expected on the Fealeside track for the week, with €1.2 million prize money.