Ruby Walsh: Time running out to find solution to Champions Weekend crowd size

Acanella and Colin Keane (pink cap) win the Snow Fairy Fillies Stakes (Group 3) àt the Curragh last night. Picture: Healy Racing

It’s a quiet weekend on the racing front, and that’s not accidental because tomorrow afternoon should have seen Mayo face the winner of today’s All-Ireland semi-final in the 134th final. The best-laid plans and all of that. But the other interesting scheduling scenario for this weekend was placing the best card on offer this weekend, either side of the Irish Sea, last night.

The Curragh staged three Group races and the Irish Cambridgeshire on its Friday evening card, and maybe in post-covid times this will prove to be an excellent idea. The place needs to be kick-started again in terms of attendance and atmosphere, which hasn’t happened since its redevelopment, but to be fair to Pat Keogh, the current manager, Covid made sure he couldn’t revive it.