The four-day Tramore festival concluded in tremendous style yesterday. Following a refurbishment programme, which has seen the venue rise from an air of terminal decay to a bright future, the meeting proved a resounding success. An investment of £700,000 by a consortium of businessmen, including trainer Willie Mullins, along with 50 shareholders, reaped dividends for all concerned with a crowd of 24,000 passing through the turnstiles, contributing to Tote figures totalling nearly £300,000, up nearly £140,000 on the corresponding meeting last year, and bookmakers breaking the £1 million barrier over the four days.
Norman Williamson was successful in the day's feature, the Paddy Power Handicap Hurdle, on the Aidan O'Brien-trained Mister Chippy, the partnership drawing away from the last to score by five lengths.
Joe Crowley, father-in-law of the winning trainer, said of Seamus Farrell's charge: "I'd say the better class field coupled with the light weight made a difference but really there's no answer to him."
Pat Smullen captured the riding honours on the flat when he recorded a double initiated by Dermot Weld's Yudrik in the R McDonald And Sons Ltd Maiden. He went on to bring his seasonal tally to 32 in the next on Molly Coates, the winner providing Straffan handler Irene Oakes with her first success at Tramore.
Nineteen-year-old Jamie Spencer captured the riding honours on Saturday with a 26 to 1 double, the first of his career, on Clashbeg, trained by his neighbour Edward O'Grady, and John Mulhern's Maytpleasethecourt.
Michael Hourigan's I Remember It Well recorded her first success on the flat to bring her tally under both codes to six when scoring an easy seven-length victory in the Noel Cummins SP Bookmaker Fillies Handicap. The former Sir Mark Prescott-trained filly was providing Templemore-born rider Michael Black (19) with his first winner.
Spinning World, ridden by Cash Asmussen, won the Prix Jacques Le Marois for the second consecutive year at Deauville yesterday. The four year old had the Group One race sewn up in the final furlong, easily beating Daylami. British challenger Starborough finished a well beaten fourth.
