THERE is no doubt that since the loss of the Phoenix Park and even earlier, that the owners of sprinters have been given a raw deal by the programme planners. The whole of the autumn seems to be devoted to an endless series of boring seven furlong and mile races for juveniles who then, for some unexplained reason, can barely stay 10 furlongs the following year.

The only track which makes an effort to cater for the speedsters is Tipperary, which stages the Topaz Sprint Stakes over five fur longs this evening. This should be an exciting contest, with most of the six strong field having chances.

Lidanna was a very fast two year old last season and is a course and distance winner. She was clear at the distance in her maiden at Tipperary in August and her time of 56.7 seconds was extremely good. When stepped up in distance and class in the Anglesey Stakes, she did not quite last out the trip but ran a fine race to get within a length and a half of the English challenger, Woodborough.

There are some experienced older rivals in opposition, including Petite Fantasy, who was also exceptionally fast last term, but Lidanna, if she has trained on, might develop into a really talented sprinter.

Place in all of his three starts, Beamingallover has by far the best form of those who have been in action and might make his experience tell against several newcomers in the opening Tipperary Maiden.

Dancing Clodagh, runner up to Megascene on the Flat on Gowran on Sunday, could be the answer in the Gowla Classic Handicap Hurdle. She is obviously at her best on fast ground and her fifth to Elas Image at Navan in November was a reasonable effort.

Praise Of Peace's second to Beau Cyrano at Tipparary early in April was made to look even better when the winner was successful again on Monday. The Dominion filly has the Jim Bolger trained Cois Na Farraige to beat in the Laburnum Handicap.