IT’s a funny old day when the happiest man at the races is Ryan Moore! The British champion jockey seemed delighted to be at the Curragh last weekend. He was seen on television laughing and joking with Mick Kinane and was much more forthcoming in RTE interviews that he has been on British channels. Some other Curragh patrons were not so happy, though.

In the UK, Labour’s Jeremy Corbyn is campaigning under the election slogan, “For the many, not the few.” He’d find no audience at the Curragh.

It’s all a fait acompli now and staying put through the building is how it is. The diktat seemed to be that the Irish Derby winner must be crowned on Curragh turf.

It has always been a bleak place to be on a bad day and on Saturday the temporary facilities and torrential rain were something only Churchill would brave.

Brian Kavanagh rejected strong criticism from Ivan Yates of the Curragh’s temporary facilities and stressed nothing has changed about racing continuing. It’s a familiar political tactic. Repeat the positives, repeat the positives.

“We had two outstanding Guineas winners and a good spread of group winners with Tom Hogan and Andy Slattery both training Group 2 winners.” Of course that couldn’t happen elsewhere?

Leopardstown or Naas would hardly have an adverse effect on the statement that “Classics and Group 1s serve an important purpose for the breeding sector as well and the Guineas has been run at the Curragh for almost 100 years.”

What also annoyed some of the visiting press, and presumably any foreign visitors, is that there is very little indication of how temporary the facilities are, or the disruption, on the Curragh website. The site suggests it’s business as usual, book now for 2017, and there’s photographs of the full parade ring at last year’s Irish Derby.

No one is arguing that the work needs to be done, that Irish racing needs a 21st century venue, and that the decision has been made and we are stuck with it.

How the Derby fits with the temporary facilities will be the big question, but we have no option but to make the best of it.

Some of us used to complain that Willie Mullins was ruining jump racing by winning everything. Then Gigginstown moved their horses, the Ricci stars got injured and suddenly Willie no longer had the best horses. Fate took a hand, for all the time spent moaning.

“What’s important is that we’re building something for the long term,” was the final word. The Curragh stand is in need of rebuilding, but so might its relationship with its racing public.