The enterprising move by the Tipperary executive to allow patrons sporting their county jerseys free admission on Saturday failed to capture the imagination when a poor crowd turned up for their eighth meeting of the year.
The richest race of the session was the five-furlong All Ireland EBF Race at 1.00pm, the early start designed to cater for Tipperay-Wexford match fans, and for connections of flying colt Minashki the race proved a profitable one when Eddie Ahern blazed a trail from the outset to slam his eight rivals.
Paying Johannesburg a handsome compliment in the process as Minashki had finished eight lengths adrift of Aidan O'Brien's colt back in 7th in last weekends Group 1 Phoenix Stakes at Leopardstown, the easy-to-back 100/30 chance bounced out of the stalls and made every yard a winning one to come home with five lengths to spare over Colourfast.
A delighted trainer Harry Rogers said afterwards, 'He's very game for a two-year-old and did it real well. I knew he was short before last week at Leopardstown as he over reached at the Curragh previously and got an infection. He only did one bit of decent work in two weeks before that race. '
Rogers has the G3 Flying Five at Leopardstown next month very much in mind for his dual winner.
Elsewhere in-form Pat Shanahan and Mick Kinane shared the riding honours with a double apiece, the former aboard Robbie Osborne's Hadath in the William Fry Solicitors Handicap before he teamed up with Reem,trained by his boss Con Collins, in the seven furlong maiden.
Kinane initiated his brace on Charles O'Brien's runaway scorer Montecastillo before he forced easy-to-back Moon Safari back up in the dying strides to pip Wild Angelica in the Tipperary EBF Fillies Maiden.
The concluding Cashel Ladies Race over two miles saw heroics by Mary Horgan when she held on to score aboard Pat Flynn's 8/1 shot Miss Lauren Dee after her saddled slipped over a furlong from home.
Meanwhile in Australia the Irish jockeys' team were out of luck against their hosts in the Waterford Crystal Chase, the final race of the series. Before a crowd of 12,000 at Moonee Valley, market leader Camargo duly obliged for the home team with Neil Mulholland (5th), Philip Carberry (6th) and Shane McGovern (8th) finishing out of the money. Ross Geraghty's intended mount was a non-runner.
The series ended up with a comprehensive victory for Australia, who notched up 46 points to Ireland's 25 and they will bid for a follow up when they visit here in early October for a tour which will encompass meetings at Sligo, Thurles, Roscommon and Downpatrick.
