Popularity of NH game starting to defy logic
The popularity of this National Hunt game is starting to defy logic. I mean there were in excess of 29,000 at Punchestown on Friday and that is quite astonishing.
Friday is supposed to be a day when most people go to work for God's sake. But no the work was kicked aside, rightly so, and instead the enclosures at Punchestown were bursting.
The sheer quality of the horses currently housed in this country, you'd have to think, is the main reason why punters just can't get enough of the game right now.
To be able to travel up the road and watch the likes of War Of Attrition, Newmill, Brave Inca, Macs Joy and numerous others in action was a massive draw.
Those with an interest in racing, who couldn't get to the meeting, were able to watch on RTE and ATR and there was no reason why you had to miss any contest. Those picures are another major factor.
Remember when we had to listen to constant whining about live pictures, from ATR, and how detrimental they were supposed to be on attendances?
I took the exact opposite view reasoning that, in time, the pictures would prove of huge benefit. Television, live pictures in particular, popularise sport and I would argue has done enormous good for racing.
ATR is doing an incredible job for Irish racing and long may it continue.
The best performance of the week, I thought, was War Of Attrition in the Guinness Gold Cup, fully justifying Mouse Morris' decision not be wrap him in cotton wool after his Cheltenham heroics.
The worst moment was Tiger Cry falling at the last with a novice chase in the bag and now one finally knows how it feels to have the pocket picked.
The race which may have most relevance for the future was the Grade One Paddy Power Champion Bumper.
Leading Run beat Hairy Molly half a length with the fast-finishing Lord Over only a short head away in third.
This was as good a race of its kind as you could wish to see and I think it is safe to assume we will be pretty strong in the novice hurdle department next season.
Best belly-laugh moment came when one of the characters of the press room, Vinnie Finnegan, made an observation after Nina Carberry had produced yet another magical performance aboard Good Step in the La Touche over four and a quarter miles and the banks.
“This is ridiculous”, muttered Finnegan. “She shouldn't be left ride against men!”
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UNBELIEVABLE to see Martin Pipe calling it a day on the Morning Line on Channel 4 last Saturday.
I had only one real experience of Pipe and found it hugely pleasant. Some years ago, at the height of his powers, decided it would be a half-decent notion to interview him prior to the Cheltenham Festival.
Pipe, with good reason, was never a great lover of the press, so how was one to go about it?
I spoke to Sean Lucey from Ballyvourney, who had horses with Pipe over the years, and asked if there was any chance of organising a chat.
Lucey, gentleman that he is, set the wheels in motion. Some time later he came back and told me to ring Pipe at 10 am the following Monday.
Sean's orders from Pipe were totally specific. Don't ring at 9.55 or 10.05, but at 10.00 on the button. Duly did as I was told and the great man answered the phone himself.
So here was a relative unknown and, as far as Pipe was concerned, a total unknown, representing a paper, the Cork Examiner, of which he had almost certainly never heard.
He could not have been nicer. He was courteous, pleasant, informative, and, indeed, quite humorous.
The interview went on for a fair while, maybe 20-30 minutes, and at no stage was there any indication he had to rush off. Ever since that morning wouldn't hear a bad word said about him.
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IF you backed Ace in the Group Three at the Curragh on Monday - I didn't - then you were entitled to be pissed-off.
Seriously, if this is the best Kieren Fallon can manage then Ballydoyle really are in trouble this season.
