Sport

Father Rector chosen

THANKS to unexpected good weather during the week the crowds at Listowel were at least 10 per cent up on last year, with 19,500…

By MICHAEL O'FARRELL
Sat Sept 28 1996 - 01:00

THANKS to unexpected good weather during the week the crowds at Listowel were at least 10 per cent up on last year, with 19,500 recorded on Wednesday and 18,000 on Thursday. Altogether, 50,000 attended the first four days. Of course, the principal day of the International Ploughing Championship on the Wednesday of last year was a counter attraction for farmers and the races attendance was down to some 16,500.

Bookmaker betting for the first four days realised £2.6 million compared to £2.34 million and Tote betting was approximately the same.

Father Rector and Vicar Street, separated by less than a length in a two miles and five furlongs handicap hurdle on the final day of the Galway Festival, renew rivalry in today's three mile Golden Vale Handicap Hurdle, with Vicar Street now enjoying a pull of 8lb. Father Rector may stay that bit better than his rival, and a bad blunder knocked him out of contention in a three mile hurdle at the Galway September meeting.

Treble Bob will stay all day. Dermot Weld's lightly raced charge cut little ice in the Galway Hurdle and he has not won since beating Minella Lad in a chase on heavy ground at Leopardstown in January.

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Father Rector may return to winning form, but Vicar Street is an obvious danger, and Always In Trouble can be noted.

None the worse for her efforts when runner up to Space Trucker on Thursday, Mystical City should prove too good for Theatreworld in the Slan Abhaile Q.R. Race. The Galway Hurdle hero beat Monday's winner All The Vowels by 15 lengths in a Flat race at Tramore last month.

Anabatic returned to his best with a fine performance to finish second behind Bishops Hall in Wednesday's Kerry National and, barring accident, should prove too good for Cullenstown Lady in the Kerry Petroleum Chase.

The Edward Whelan Novice Hurdle may go to the Aidan O'Brien trained Clonagam, who had Frau Dante over two lengths adrift when runner up in a bumper at Tipperary and last time out was second behind Difficult Times over hurdles at Roscommon.

Tommy Stack's horses are in good form, and Short Shift is taken to win the Kaliber Handicap. The stable may initiate a winning double with One Man Band - successful the same event last year - in the Three Mermaids Handicap.