WOW! That`s the only word to describe it. Johannesburg not only became Aidan O`Brien`s fourth successive winner of the Phoenix Stakes, anyone who witnessed his five lengths demolition at Leopardstown on Sunday saw a new star in the Ballydoyle galaxy.
O`Brien was worried beforehand that the rain-softened ground might undo the imposing son of Hennessy, but he followed in the footsteps of Lavery, Fasliyev and Minardi with a victory to fill the eye. When Michael Kinane pressed the button just over a furlong out the response was immediate. The opening juvenile Group 1 of the season was ended as a contest in a matter of strides.
Kinane was very impressed saying he had `never ridden a better two-year-old`, while O`Brien commented, `he has two extra gears and that acceleration is electric. He is a very serious horse, and has never been extended`. Bookmakers were also taken by the victory, and is quuoted as low as 6/1 for next year`s 2,000 Guineas. But what did he beat? Probably not a lot, although that question is always thrown at a runaway winner. Just believe what you saw!
This is fast becoming a record-breaking year for the Ballydoyle team, and a `Super Sunday` was crowned with victory at Deauville for King Charlemagne in the Prix Maurice de Gheest. The Jamie Spencer-ridden colt brought O`Brien`s Group 1 haul for the season to 11, with the promise of much more to come.
The Irish Horseracing Authority (IHA) released their Annual Report this week to a fanfare of record figures for the industry. The betting numbers were always going to be impressive as 2000 was the first full year of tax-free betting, while the IHA also announced a significant increase in the totals for prize-money and bloodstock sales. The prize-money hike of 18% to 24.3 million will of course be greatly increased again this year thanks to the government`s largesse.
However a closer analysis on the performance of individual courses reveals some interesting (and worrying) figures. The average attendance of 5,373 at the 337 meetings is up just 0.5% on 1999, with the Kerry tracks all showing a decrease. The Tralee figure of 3,720 for their eight meetings is low by any standards, and the Roses Festival continues to under achieve. The total betting (bookmakers and Tote) at Tralee is down 24% at 2.3 million - a staggering figure in relation to the punting frenzy taking place elsewhere.
Killarney and Listowel also appear to have stagnated, and the decision of the fixtures committee to award the latter venue a seventh day to their September Festival in 2001, in competition with another Sunday meeting at Punchestown, is just beyond belief.
On the subject of next year`s fixture list, my colleague Brian Fleming pointed out the forthcoming clash between the final day of the Galway Festival with Cork and, even after a week`s contemplation, I STILL CAN`T BELIEVE IT! Is the committee trying to kill the goose that lays the golden egg? Some bright spark will probably decide to take on the Cheltenham Festival in 2002 with Punchestown (whenever it reopens!).
Incidentally the average crowd figure has dropped at no less than 12 of the 24 racecourses in the Republic (nobody is counting at the turnstiles in the North). Among the declining dozen is the IHA`s big baby at Foxrock, where the average faithful of 8,201 is down 6%. Kilbeggan continues to be a shining example to the rest, with the average attendance of 7,978 only bettered by Galway, Listowel, Leopardstown and Punchestown. Yet how many Sunday meetings are at the midlands venue? A big fat zero!
[email protected]
