The June Bank Holiday meeting at Tralee seven years ago marked the first occasion on which the legend "winner trained by A P O'Brien" appeared on a set of racing returns.

Since then O'Brien has come a long way and, while his record this year is laiden down with Group One victories, it would for sentimental reasons be a source of special pleasure to him if he could win the Carlsberg Ruby Stakes, the most valuable flat race at the Tralee Festival even if it ranks no higher than a Listed race.

O'Brien's runner is Hans Andersen, belonging to Mrs John Magnier. He sustained his first defeat when beaten into fourth place in the Grand Prix de Paris but before that had beaten the well fancied John Oxx four-year-old Quest For A Star in the Dairygold Race at Cork.

One Won One, a marvellous find for Joanna Morgan and Fr Sean Breen's Heavenly Syndicate, is a serious contender and is capabale of exposing any weaknesses in Hans Andersen's armoury, if there are any.

O'Brien has two earlier chances on the card: Kasparov in the Paddy Norris Maiden and Kilcash Castle in the Stanley Racing Beginners' Chase. As they also belong to Mrs John Magnier, a hat-trick is a very serious possibility.

Noel Meade is renowned for his meticulous "schooling" of his juvenile hurdlers and on that score alone one could fancy the chances of Pasteur confirming Tramore form with Kono, even on worse terms.

Punters sided with Vivo in the opening day feature at Tralee yesterday, but it was stable companion Timber King who landed the spoils in the Patsy Byrne Handicap Hurdle. The Christy Roche-trained top weight kept on gamely under pressure to hold the renewed effort of Sharpaten by a neck.