Gift token had a welcome change of luck when just edging the verdict in yesterday's Guinness Gold Cup but it was the entire Tralee track instead of just the previous two strips of ground in the straight that aroused emotions.
"Deplorable" was Jim Bolger's verdict on the ground which was officially described as "yielding to soft." The trainer added: "The track should have been presented in good condition today and they've failed to do that."
The opening day controversy over the two strips of ground where the hurdles in the straight are sited seemed to have been diluted by overnight work but there was almost a unanimous view that the track, particularly on the back straight, was very sticky.
Kevin Manning, who combined with Bolger to win with Avorado and Night Rhapsody, described it as "like a gluepot. It's bottomless all the way around. I met the two roads spot on but they did seem better this time."
They certainly didn't appear to be a factor in the finish of the big race but there was enough of a change in the final furlong of that contest to make anything else redundant.
Before the straight the race was dominated by the market leaders Perugino Diamond, Izmir and Dairalann with Gift Token's better fancied stable companion Gamekeeper dropping out. The next to drop out was Perugino Diamond but just as the favourite Darialann looked to be getting the best of things he was swamped on all sides by outsiders.
First French Style headed him, then Gift Token while Pollardsfield finished well also. Then Miltonfield challenged last of all and it was only by a short head that Gift Token and Fran Berry rallied to win. Berry's urgency with the whip earned him a two-day ban but Gift Token's trainer Pat Hughes was just delighted she'd won.
"If ever a horse deserved to win, it's her. She ran a blinder from 21lb out of the handicap in the Galway Hurdle, then got beaten on the Sunday of Galway and was also beaten a short head at Killarney," said Hughes who confessed he hadn't backed the mare.
Avorado will be stepped up to Listed class after getting the better of the 4 to 6 Sligo Bay in the opener.
Just four of the nine strong field for the Beginners Chase managed to finish and although the well-backed favourite Quintus looked in trouble for much of the last circuit he looked to have got the measure of the pace setting Coq De Mirande when that one crashed at the last.
Pat Flynn was singing the praises of Tom Queally after Rainbow Realm landed the apprentice handicap and the 15-year-old rider earned it by getting the tail swishing favourite home by half a length from Northern Mill.
"He reads a race well and when he gets stronger he'll be very good. That is unless he shoots up into the clouds and becomes a six footer!" said Flynn. "Our horses are on the way back and are running well. This filly swishes her tail constantly but battled on great."
Neutron looked all over the winner of the three-year-old hurdle in the straight but couldn't cope with the renewed effort of Paul Carberry's mount Billy Bonnie.
The downward slide in the betting figures at Tralee continued yesterday when the bookmaker turnover was down £133,848 from the corresponding day last year to a total of £396,601. The Tote turnover was also down, from £106,979 last year to £96,613.
