More racing at Bettyville on Friday

BETTYVILLE, WEXFORD, hosts a Friday afternoon/evening meeting with a seven-race card starting at 4.10 p.m., offering €90,000 in prize money.

There is the usual mix of four hurdles, two chases and the concluding bumper. The forecast is good and all is set for a good day’s sport.

The card is: 4.10 p.m., The Welcome to Wexford Racecourse Novice Hurdle of €12,000 (over three miles);

4.45 p.m., The Springtime in Wexford Maiden Hurdle of €11,000 (over two miles four furlongs);

5.20 p.m., The Racing TV for €12.00 tomorrow only Handicap Hurdle of €16,000 (over two miles four furlongs);

5.50 p.m., The Slaney Estuary Handicap Hurdle of €10,000 (rated 80-95, over two miles);

6.20 p.m., The Vinegar Hill Mares’ Beginners’ Chase of €12,000 (two miles);

6.50 p.m., The Boolavogue Novice Handicap Chase of €18,000 (two miles four furlongs);

7.20 p.m., The Irish Stallion Farms EBF Mares’ Flat Race of €11,000 (two miles).

There are various dining opportunities at the course which may be important as the races run right through evening meal time. A table can be booked in advance in the Ivy Room Restaurant by ringing 087-3828099.

Membership is still open for the Wexford Racecourse Supporters’ Club, with the €110 fee including admission and card to the remaining ten meetings of the season plus lots of other benefits. Ring 087-3828099 for details.

The honour of winning the first race of the new flat season in Britain fell to Taghmon’s P.J. McDonald who took the £37,000 Listed Cammidge Trophy at Doncaster on Saturday by a comfortable two lengths under Invincible Army (4/1) for Jim Tate. He had a couple of other wins during the week.

Main attention next weekend will focus on the Aintree Grand National meeting starting on Thursday, and quite a few Cheltenham heroes will be back in action.

Tiger Roll is a ridiculously short price to win his second successive National on Saturday, but I think it could be the turn of Willie Mullins’ Pleasant Company who only lost out by a head last year in one of the closest finishes ever.

Jim Bolger maintained his great start to the flat season at Navan on Saturday, following up on his 5,350/1 treble on opening day with another double – Madam Seamstress (25/1) under Rory Cleary, and Cuban Hope (3/1f) under Kevin Manning.

Aidan O’Brien won the featured €45k Cork Listed race with Sergei Prokiev (15/8f) under son, Donnacha.