Will Tramore's gamble on staging Europe's only race meeting on the first day of the year 2000 pay off? One would not care to predict the number of paying customers who will have survived the dawning of the new Millennium but owners are the surefire winners with prizes the richest ever offered on this course.

Twelve months ago owners were racing here for £34,000, this year there is no race worth less than £10,000 and the gross is more than doubled at £77,500.

The top prize is the curtain raiser, the 2m 6f Mean Fiddler Handicap Chase, and here No Problem can click for Co Cork trainer Gerry Cully and rider Shay Barry. He finished sixth in the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham. That was 4m but he won a 3m handicap chase at Downpatrick in October.

Willie Mullins, who had a double at Leopardstown on St Stephen's Day, can duplicate that with Palette (1.15) and Boston Melody (3.15).

Palette drew a blank in six 1999 starts but after a seven month lay off ran her best race to come from last to second against Louis Fourteen, to whom she was trying to give more than a stone at Navan.

Boston Melody lost eight races during the year but she came good with a stylish win at Clonmel on Monday leaving the field 5ls and more behind.

The de Bromhead family, who train at Knockeen in Co Waterford, have a lengthy association with Tramore and they should be on the mark with Wild Spice (2.15). Placed on the flat over Christmas, he had run an eyecatching fifth in a big field at Punchestown to That's Fine By Me on his one and only hurdles outing.

Even though J P McManus had four winners at Leopardstown, his holiday fortunes were decidedly mixed. He should, however, commence the defence of his title as the leading National Hunt owner with a clearcut win for Royal Marine (1.45) in the Mercedes Benz A Class Beginners Chase.