Tramore racecourse steps into its brave new refurbished world this evening, and amateur champion Ruby Walsh looks the man to make the deepest first impression on the place. Those who visit the track now for the start of the four-day fixture are promised a total change to its once almost palpable air of neglect. A hard standing area which will cater for a 1,000-capacity marquee has been created, as well as modernisation of the bar and refreshment areas, better parade ring viewing and new saddling boxes.
Future plans centre on the upgrading of the track itself, but Tramore's uniquely tight and undulating course still presents quite a challenge to horses and riders. Amateur jockeys have three races to themselves tonight, and on a circuit that rewards jockeyship, it makes sense to rely on Walsh in two of them.
The 18-year-old has made a huge impression with his style and determination in the last year and in Dick McCarthy in the bumper, looks to have the goods to provide Willie Mullins with another winner around Tramore.
Mullins is comfortably the leading trainer at the track and, on the evidence of Dick McCarthy's last run, he has had less talented animals succeed around here. That effort came at the Galway festival when, despite coming wide into the straight, Dick McCarthy ran second to Bayling and nine lengths clear of everything else.
Bayling is regarded as a very smart bumper performer and if Dick McCarthy can reproduce his Galway run, he should win his first race tonight.
Total Success can initiate a first and last race Walsh double in the Grand Hotel Maiden Hurdle. The five-year-old has found difficulty in getting his head in front, but is a consistent sort who showed he is still in good shape when running a four and a half length second to Charming Duke in a Leopardstown bumper last time.
The best quality race on the card, the Charmian Hill Memorial Chase, looks set to fall to the former Irish Grand National and Galway Plate winner, Feathered Gale, who will be ridden by Conor O'Dwyer.
Feathered Gale looks the best treated of these runners, although Richard Dunwoody should have an interesting ride on Bishops Hall. Tramore is the only track in Britain or Ireland that Dunwoody has yet to ride.
The nap, however, falls to Master Cooper in the Halfway House Maiden. David Hanley's charge ran a nice race to finish third to the smart Spirit Of Tara and Moving On Up at Galway and before that ran second to Citizen Kane at Killarney, a run that gives him the beating of Lingaun Valley.
River Valley Lady can make it a good day for the Mullins' by winning the O'Neills Handicap Hurdle for Paddy; and Flash Of Speed and Paul Moloney can gain a deserved success in the Guinness Handicap.
The clerk of the course at Sligo has reported to the Turf Club that the Royal Exchange Pub Handicap, which was due to be run over one mile, two furlongs and 110 yards last Thursday, was started from the wrong place. The Turf Club will investigate the matter on Saturday. The race was won by Cormac Lad, trained locally by Michael McElhone.
