26 RACECOURSE CHALLENGE – Numbers 10 and 11

TWO contrasting meetings this week on my racecourse odyssey – an all flat card last Sunday at Navan and the first of five days racing at the premier National Hunt festival in Ireland, peerless Punchestown.

The fine card at Navan on Sunday deserved a much better turnout of racegoers, who missed some splendid action by their absence. We saw some racing stars of the past and the future and the Meath venue was back for more on Monday evening.

Then it was on to Punchestown for a meeting that needs no words of mine to explain.

Behind the scenes at both Navan and Punchestown is a special lady – Rita Lyons. A friend of mine for four decades, she looks after the dietary requirements of the jockeys at a large number of our tracks, a role that is hugely appreciated by our fearless athletes. I hope to write more about this again.

Navan was my 10th and Punchestown my 11th different racecourse visit on the challenge to see all 26 Irish racecourses – on a raceday - in 2017. It came after visits to Tramore, Naas, Dundalk, Leopardstown, Gowran Park, Downpatrick, Tipperary, Fairyhouse and Cork.

Next stops are, fingers crossed, Ballinrobe and Wexford.