IRISH JUMPERS TO THE FORE AS SEASON TAKES OFF

The National Hunt season really got into full swing this week, and hopefully a precedent for the campaign was set at Wetherby on Saturday with high profile victories by Irish raiders Sackville and Boss Doyle.

Sackville cemented his position as a leading Cheltenham Gold Cup prospect by landing the Charlie Hall Chase in fine style, and trainer Frances Crowley has her sights firmly fixed on jumping`s blue riband. David Casey was also aboard Boss Doyle who was always prominent for a convincing win in the West Yorkshire Hurdle, and Mouse Morris plans further raids with his charge in the coming months on long distances hurdles in England.

The case of Jayne Mulqueen and the trip to Dubai is one of the strangest stories in Irish racing this year. The Waterford apprentice was packing her bags for an all-expenses-paid trip to the Middle Eastern racing centre having secured the Derrinstown Stud sponsored series, which also carries a prize of 1,000 pounds worth of prize bonds, at the Curragh last month.

However the goalposts appear to have moved as the three-month Dubai trip is now being awarded to the champion apprentice, with Tadhg O`Shea likely to claim that title when the season ends at Leopardstown on Sunday. This despite the prize clearly being intended for the Derrinstown Series winner in publicity throughout the year, and currently outlined on the sponsoring Stud`s website, www.derrinstown.com.

Mulqueen`s boss Frances Crowley expressed the feelings of most in the industry by saying, `When Jayne was told that there had been a misprint and the prize wasn`t hers, she was very disappointed. She worked hard for the success, and everybody in the yard was upset for her`. Surely this mix-up can be sorted out amicably, and perhaps both Jayne and Tadhg can be given an opportunity to enhance their promising careers with a trip to Dubai.

The three-way battle for the Flat jockeys championship has been a feature of racing in recent weeks, and the rivalry between Pat Smullen, Michael Kinane and John Murtagh was epitomized with a thrilling finish involving the `big three` at Clonmel on Thursday. Murtagh gained the day aboard Zanara in the mile and a half maiden by a neck from Leopard Spot (Kinane) with Ballerine (Smullen) just a short-head further back. A press-room colleague summed up the mood at this well-attended mixed meeting when commenting, `If that was the Epsom Derby, they would be calling it the race of the century!`

The championship appears destined to be retained by Smullen following news that Murtagh (two behind) will miss the remaining two Flat fixtures this year after failing to have a whip ban reversed by appeal, while Kinane is currently five winners off the pace.

On a week when a number of the current top jumping stars returned to action, it was sad to say farewell to some big names of the past. Nureyev, first-past-the-post in the 1980 2,000 Guineas, had a brief career on the track but made a giant impact in breeding circles with the likes of Peintre Celebre, Miesque and Theatrical. Oh So Sharp, winner of the fillies triple crown in 1985, also had to be put down during the week, while Arthur Moore`s useful chaser Feathered Leader suffered a heart attack after routine home work.

On a brighter note, it was heartening to learn that Sakhee will stay in training as a five-year-old next term. Sheikh Mohammed`s Godolphin operation has done more than any other stable to endear Flat racing to the general public, and the ordinary racegoer has been given the opportunity to build up an affinity with the likes of Swain, Daylami, Fantastic Light etc?. Far too often champion three-year-olds are shipped off to stud to protect their, greatly untested, reputations. Godolphin`s bolder policy, and commitment to a vision of world racing, can only serve to promote the Flat division of the sport.

Alan Magee