`Horses can attain a speed of up to 36 m.p.h. and errors of judgment can be fatal."
Junior copywriters in all public relations agencies, and some of the senior ones too, would do well to note how things are done in Rosscarbery, Co Cork. This chilling statement came in a blurb about the trotting races on the causeway there last weekend.
And the body count? Nil, as it happened. It seemed that everyone during the seven-race programme exercised due diligence and good judgment. But a good time was had by all and the prize money came to £4,100, with £1,200 on offer for the big race.
Road-racing or trotting is a sport well known in west Cork and has been for the past century, but it is not much practised elsewhere in Ireland.
However, for some reason, trotting races had not been held in Rosscarbery since 1978 and locals felt the time had come to revive the sport. More than 2,000 people turned out to watch the races and the day was such a success, according to committee member Mr Kevin Santry, that the races will become an annual fixture in the Rosscarbery calendar from now on.
And what about that press release warning of potentially dire consequences for the participants? "Not at all, they all came home safe and sound," he added.