Punchestown precipitation ensures water remains topical

Punchestown, as ever, is a microcosm of Irish society — a brash playground for the nouveau riche during the boom years and a less vulgar, more genuine celebration of all things equine during these austere times.

The first day of the 2012 Irish national hunt festival proved itself a fair barometer of the national mood with water a popular topic of conversation. However, the debate was not on water charges, but the plentiful quantity of the stuff which fell from the skies. Several downpours made the ground, which was already soft and decidedly heavy in parts. Though warnings of possible flooding failed to materialise, it made the unscientific task of picking winners all the more difficult as the turf sapped the energy of fancied runners.

Not that such consideration, like the weather, is a real deterrent, especially as yesterday’s attendance of 14,345 was up on last year’s opening-day figure.

As jockey Barry Geraghty, remarked: “There’s always a great buzz at the start of Punchestown, irrespective of the weather.” Geraghty, who rides mostly in Britain, said the Kildare racecourse is “right up there with Cheltenham and Aintree”.

However, the opening day didn’t have too much to attract punters, with the three Grade 1 races all having odds-on favourites.

Nevertheless, Alderwood ridden by champion jockey Tony McCoy upset the form book by beating the heavily-fancied Trifolium in the Evening Herald Champion Novice. Putting it in perspective was that Alderwood was 300/1 on betting exchanges in running as he appeared well beaten rounding the final corner.

“What more do I need to say about AP McCoy, he is one in a million,” said JP McManus, who stretched his lead in the owner’s prizefund title race ahead of Trifolium’s owner, Michael O’Leary.

However, the Ryanair boss was flying high later as his gelding Sir Des Champs stretched his unbeaten record to eight, coming in as a 2/7 red-hot favourite in the Growise Champion Novice Steeplechase.

One of the most popular wins of the day was Big Shu in the opening race, trained by Peter Maher from Donore, Co Kildare. He joked he couldn’t afford to celebrate as he was due to ride himself in a race at Punchestown on Friday.

“I’ve lost one-and-a-half stone in two weeks on a vegetable soup diet. I wouldn’t recommend it.”

Among those savouring the sport of kings were soccer stars Keith Andrews, Simon Cox, and Darren O’Dea, who lined up to assist the Boylesports FAI Euro 2012 shootout for fans under the watchful eye of FAI chief John Delaney.

Former Irish and Leinster rugby star Bernard Jackman was there with commentator Brent Pope, who knew “very little about horses” but was happy to promote tomorrow’s Walk in My Shoes charity fundraiser, being held nationwide.

* Winner of the Coast best-dressed lady competition yesterday was Naoise Pelin, a teacher from Athy, Co Kildare, who won a €1,000 shopping voucher for her “weather appropriate” lemon outfit.