Cool Brian chills out in the sun as wins for Ruby and Dermot cost Ballybrit bookies a fortune

Blues Brother Brian content to leave the tent behind on his expedition to Galway, writes Frank McNally at the Galway Race Festival…

Blues Brother Brian content to leave the tent behind on his expedition to Galway, writes Frank McNallyat the Galway Race Festival, Ballybrit

NOT SINCE Scott's ill-fated expedition to the Antarctic has one man's decision to leave a tent provoked so many headlines.

But Brian Cowen - who, just like Captain Oates, has indicated that he may be gone for some time - was in relaxed mood as he arrived in Galway at the start of a new era yesterday.

The Fianna Fáil fundraiser had been consigned to history. The infamous marquee had been booked for a Galway GAA function instead. And somehow the sun had managed to rise again.

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Not only did it rise. After Tuesday night's deluge, it shone so hard all day that the Taoiseach was forced to take a leaf out of Giovanni Trapattoni's fashion catalogue and don a pair of shades.

Waiting in the parade ring to present the day's big prize, he looked like one of the Blues Brothers. If Bertie Ahern had emerged to join him for the event (he didn't), they might have performed a duet.

The coolness of Mr Cowen's image was matched by a chill breeze when reporters mentioned the T-word. "A media fixation," he called it: one of our favourite "myths". We would miss it more than Fianna Fáil would, the Taoiseach implied, inviting us to chill out and enjoy the "holiday atmosphere" that was always present at the festival, tents or no tents.

These are recessionary times, however. And asked for tips about what to back on Galway Plate day, Mr Cowen opted for the nearest thing there is to prudence in gambling circles. "Follow Dermot Weld," he said. This is time-honoured advice at Ballybrit. Weld is the blue-chip investment here, who holds his value even when the price of gold dips. And yet again, yesterday, he rewarded his backers.

When Directa King won the third race, he represented what by most counts was the Curragh trainer's 199th festival win: carrying the Taoiseach's money, and plenty more besides, as he romped home at short odds.

Three races later, Lady Alicia made it 200 wins for the Kildare maestro, without much fuss. Whatever about the rest of the economy, Dermot Weld is showing no sign of a slow-down.

In between these two milestones, however, he had to accept third best in the big race, when another man who inspires blind faith in his followers triumphed.

This time it was a jockey, Ruby Walsh, who partnered the hot favourite Oslot to a very comfortable victory in the Galway Plate. English trainer Paul Nicholls credited the local knowledge of his jockey with helping to take the "massive prize" (€144,000) back across the Irish Sea. The bookies, meanwhile, were blaming the same source for their misfortune.

Boylesports claimed the result cost them €1 million: many of the bets inspired by a jockey known to racegoers everywhere by his first name alone. "A lot of people back Ruby blind," a spokesman for the firm said. "And you can understand why."

Weld gave this race a good rattle too, attempting to win it for the third time with Ansar. The veteran horse was not helped by Tuesday's rain, but finished in the money yet again, causing his colourful Crossmaglen owner Kay Devlin to predict that he may try once more next year, aged 13.

"He's 12 now but he acts like a six-year-old," she said.

Today, the feature race on the card is the Galway Hurdle. But for many racegoers, the main event will be Ladies Day, when at least one half of the attendance traditionally makes a big effort to look its best. There was no shortage of fancy hats and outfits yesterday, in fact.

Then again, maybe those wearing them had checked this afternoon's forecast (heavy showers spreading from the west) and decided to wear their summer clothes while they could.