For the leader of Fine Gael, Mr Enda Kenny, the Listowel races represented a lucky break yesterday.
He backed Native Performance, the winner of the biggest race of the week at the 145th annual race meeting in Listowel at 7/1.
The horse romped home in the Guinness Kerry National Handicap Steeplechase after Mr Kenny placed a €20 bet on him in front of the stand with bookie Seamus Mulvaney.
"Your luck has changed," roared a delighted Mr Jimmy Deenihan, the North Kerry Fine Gael TD amid the din.
There were good omens for Mr Kenny even before his horse came in.
Flanked by Cork TD, Mr Simon Coveney, and Mr Deenihan, Mr Kenny was making his way through the packed crowds at the racecourse when a Waterford man came up to him, clapped him on the back, and said: "You're improving, you're making headway. You'll get there."
"You're right on the benchmarking - we don't work in the public service, " another pair of punters said laughing.
The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, arrived at the hospitality rooms for lunch just as a horse named Former Senator lined up at the start of the first race.
Mr Ahern remained at the lunch hosted by The Jerry Beades Concrete Hospitality Suite for the first four races, accompanied by former Taoiseach, Mr Albert Reynolds, and the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Mr John O'Donoghue.
Racing tipster John McCririck paid a visit in a flowing cardinal purple coat. He was seen floating around the races cigar in hand.
Up at St Michael's College, Listowel, where Mr Ahern earlier performed the opening of a €1 million extension, Paidi Ó Se, manager of the Kerry football team and a past pupil offered this consolation: "Taoiseach, you are getting a rough time at the moment, but I can assure you as manager of the Kerry team it isn't much easier."
Mr Ahern denied he was feeling vulnerable, despite a poor performance in the opinion polls recently.
"Obviously I'd like to be where I was, but I'll keep working on it," he told reporters.
When Mr Ahern took a walk around the racecourse, the crowds were so thick that Mr Thomas McEllistrim, the Fianna Fáil TD, lost him in the throng.