RACING/Leopardstown and news: Jamie Spencer made the long journey back from the Breeders' Cup in time to ride two more winners on the final day of the 2004 flat season at Leopardstown yesterday.
Gypsy King's winning debut and Yehudi's success in the Eyrefield Stakes were the final contributions to Spencer's championship winning first term as stable jockey to Aidan O'Brien which yielded a total of 93 winners in Ireland.
The final two Ballydoyle victories brought Aidan O'Brien's domestic prize money total for the year to over €2.9 million and his 77 winners also made O'Brien the champion trainer in terms of winners saddled.
"It's been a great year and riding Aidan's horses makes it a lot easier. I've enjoyed every winner, from a 0-60 to a Group One," said Spencer who flew back from Texas overnight.
"A long trip but I slept most of the way!"
But if the quantity yield was up to scratch for the O'Brien-Spencer team, Saturday night's Breeders' Cup was typical of a deeply frustrating 2004 at the top level.
Antonius Pius looked to throw away another winning chance in the Mile and Spencer's early kick for home on Powerscourt in the Turf generated flak from some quarters for the 24 year old.
"Powerscourt ran a good race and everyone seemed to be happy with the way he ran," Spencer said yesterday.
"He had a setback in the Champion Stakes which meant there was only five weeks to get him ready.
"He was also a bit fractious at the start and everything has to go right if you are to win these races. Under different circumstances he might have won."
He added: "Someday it will all work out for Antonius Pius. He ducked in behind the winner but that's just him. I've never got such a good run through a race, especially at that level."
Yehudi won the Listed race yesterday but it was Gypsy King's length and a half defeat of Bogside Dancer that provoked a Derby quote of 33 to 1 from Ladbrokes.
Nevertheless Yehudi, who sports markings on his face that resemble a "number seven", always had his head in front and won comfortably from the other joint favourite Imperial Brief.
With no stalls in operation because of the deep ground there was a distinctly National Hunt feel to the racing and Al Eile confirmed the impression with a fine success in the November Handicap.
A stone rise in the ratings for winning on the track six days earlier made no difference as Fran Berry guided the John Queally trained winner to a smooth success.
"I have the Fighting Fifth Hurdle at Newcastle in mind but if he misses that we'll probably wait for here at Christmas," said Queally who was making a rare incursion into flat racing.
"I had to get out a flat trainers licence a few weeks ago and I was giving out that it cost me €360!"
Berry doubled up on Fit The Cove in the mile handicap and the final leg of a treble, Power Elite's 10-length win in the 10 furlong race, allowed Berry edge past Pat Smullen to be runner up in the jockeys table on 66 winners.
Catherine Gannon was confirmed champion apprentice for 2004 with 33 winners while Mrs John Magnier was top owner for the year with over €2.3 million in prize money.
