The former chief executive of Allied Irish Bank, Gerry Scanlan, was yesterday officially appointed as the new Senior Steward of the Turf Club for the next two years.

Scanlan, who has been a member of the Turf Club since 1992, was formerly Deputy Senior Steward to Professor Michael MacCormac for two years.

Scanlan was the first to hold the deputy post and praised the 1997 decision to introduce that position as he said it introduced continuity to the Turf Club, and he described the changeover from Professor MacCormac as "seamless".

Promising to emphasise the importance of communication with the racing public, Scanlan added: "Regulatory bodies will never be popular and shouldn't expect to be but we will continue to regulate the sport to the standard the public expects."

The appointment was made at yesterday's annual Turf Club report where a consolidated surplus of £812,000 was announced for 1998.

This was up from the 1997 figure of £423,000 and the third good financial year in a row for the Turf Club following a number of loss making years. The main reasons for the increase were a taxation write back and an increase in investment income. The taxation write back arose as a result of capital allowances on stands at the Curragh.

Looking back at the year, Professor MacCormac noted the additional investments made by the Turf Club in 1998 in relation to integrity services and security at racecourses.

In relation to the Curragh racecourse, there was an increase of £223,000 in racecourse income which reflected increasing attendances.

Professor MacCormac also congratulated the Minister for Finance on his abolition of on-course betting tax, saying that it should be beneficial to increasing the number of people going racing.

High Islard, Mary Reverley's only runner at Bangor yesterday won the novices' handicap chase in the hands of smart Irish amateur Alan Dempsey.