Tramore brought racing into the 21st century on Saturday when they hosted an action-packed programme before a bumper crowd of over 10,000.
The honour of landing the first race of the new millennium, the Mean Fiddler Handicap Chase, went to the market leader, No Problem, under a confident ride from local rider Shay Barry. Trained in Berrings, Co Cork by Gerry Cully, the 5 to 1 shot arrived to head light-weight All But over the penultimate fence and then forged clear on the testing ground to win by three lengths.
"A friend of mine rang me on Christmas Day and I told him that on the day you bury me you'll be able to say I trained the first winner of the century. I was pretty confident," said Cully, who added: "I helped myself to some of the 8 to 1 available beforehand."
Henry de Bromhead will also have fond memories of this meeting as Fidalus (Paul Moloney)
gave him his first training success since taking over from his father Harry when taking the T J Carroll Chase. Racecourse director Willie Mullins found the winner's enclosure after the beginners' chase when Mill Lane Lady and Paul Carberry shrugged off the challenge of warm favourite Royal Marine on the short run-in.
Later, bookmakers enjoyed another result in the two-mile maiden hurdle when Philip Carberry opened his account for the New Year aboard Tom Bergin's 16 to 1 shot Bill Bishop.
Last month's Thurles scorer Why Bother followed up for Charlie Swan and Stephen Ryan when justifying favouritism in the Kent Brothers Handicap Hurdle; and Paul Nolan's 10 to 1 shot Peggybarry and John Cullen stayed on under pressure to win the finale by eight lengths.
