Drop in attendances and turnover of little significance in the overall scheme of things at Galway
It had to come that the extravaganza would finally stop breaking every record in the country and that time has finally arrived.
Crowd figures may have been down by three per cent and bookmaker turnover by less than five per cent, but they are really of little significance in the overall scheme of things.
Galway remains the absolute jewel in the crown and, realistically, only Cheltenham can compete for sheer excitement and atmosphere.
The contest I enjoyed most had to be the Galway Hurdle, won by Farmer Brown. It came when you were just beginning to wonder if the long trek west was going to reap a decent dividend.
I have always regarded handicaps as a necessary evil and marvel at punters who claim they can make profit betting in them.
But there was just something about Farmer Brown’s profile which simply demanded he be supported and you would have to say it was a particularly smart bit of training on the part of Pat Hughes.
The manner in which the six-year-old cruised through the contest just made the little profit all the more enjoyable.
Another handicap which provided profit was Leg Spinner over hurdles on Wednesday. He looked a stand-out, at least according to my calculations, off a mark of 105.
Couldn’t get on him quickly enough in the morning at 3-1. But he was actually returned at 3-1, which was very surprising.
Like Farmer Brown, he strolled through the race to win in a canter. But with Nintytwo Team, who was second, going on to score from 20lbs out of the handicap at Galway on Saturday, you’d wonder how long it will be before Leg Spinner ever wins a handicap hurdle again!
It was great to see Sir Frederick land the Plate for Liam Burke and Kevin Coleman. Burke had the courage to keep Sir Frederick off the track since he won at Clonmel in early April.
It can’t be easy to have a horse absolutely spot-on to challenge for a major prize, following a break, and it represented a magnificent training feat.
You couldn’t but be delighted watching the lads who own Sir Frederick deriving so much pleasure from the victory.
I got to know several of them in another life, during my point-to-point days, and these guys are essentially what National Hunt racing is all about.
Biggest disappointment of the seven days had to be the defeat of Dermot Weld’s Domestic Fund in the two-year-old maiden the first night.
A good start is always half the battle and when Domestic Fund had to give best to Aidan O’Brien’s Lucifer Sam then, psychologically, you just felt it was going to be a long week.
But we battled back hard and when Unwritten Rule, another of Weld’s, did the business on Saturday then we were nicely on top.
Returned 11-10, from 6-4 on track, those of us out of traps like a rocket in the morning were able to avail of the 2-1. Do I love Galway, you’d better believe it. Put simply, it’s the best racing week of the year - any year.
SOMETIMES, you just despair of punters. There are great judges in the ring right now, but on other occasions you wonder if some others have any notion of what’s going on.
We all talk through our pockets, it’s the nature of the game, but you have got to try and keep matters in perspective as well.
Did my dough on a horse called Radical Rave in a sprint at Cork on Sunday. Knew full well that six furlongs was on the short side, but reasoned he’d get away with it in the testing conditions. He didn’t.
Radical Rave was bombing at the finish, but was never going to get to the two who beat him. Had managed no more than a dozen steps off the stand than had two punters, one after the other, berating jockey, Pat Shanahan.
What race were they watching? Shanahan was pushing the head of Radical Rave after a hundred yard and never let up. That the horse eventually finished third was due in no small measure to the man.
IN the first race at Roscommon on Tuesday night, third favourite Swift Sailing decided he couldn’t be bothered and refused to leave the stalls. Cashmans’ bookmakers immediately decided they would refund anyone who had invested on the beastie.
At Cork racecourse on Sunday had the few quid on Instant Sparkle, she was in action at Galway, in the Paddy Power office on track.
Thought evens was a great price and then watched in silent bewilderment as she drifted to 11-8. Instant Sparkle won half the track and, when returning to draw, was informed by a delightful gentleman that it was a guaranteed price race and so would be paid at 11-8. You know, it’s rapidly getting to the stage with these bookie chappies that it is becoming almost impossible to lose!
