RUGBY international Sean O’Brien was a special guest at the HRI Awards though at one stage it appeared he was overshadowed by the presence of an even bigger sporting star.

Excited whispers were circulating that wrestling bad boy Conor McGregor was in the house. Parrot Mouth dashed over for a selfie only to find it was actually Johnny Murtagh sporting a trendy beard.

IT’S FINNY’S FAULT

Kate Harrington’s appearance on the Racing TV teamsheet does not mean she has hung up her race-riding boots. She told us: “I’m getting physio for a hand injury at the moment. I can ride out but in a race the power is not fully there.”

Finny Maguire has been filling in for Kate in bumpers and, wearing her assistant trainer hat, she joked that it was good to have somebody else to blame when things go wrong.

MR FIXIT

Punchestown won Racecourse of the Year at this week’s HRI Awards and track boss Conor O’Neill said it was a fitting tribute to his predecessor Dick O’Sullivan, who retired earlier this year.

Conor revealed that Dick’s first response when informed that Punchestown had been nominated for the award was to ask ‘Who are the judges?’ Tells you something about how Dick gets things done!

Quote of the week

“The minute you see yourself as a female, you’re the one with the problem” – Katie Walsh on competing against males in racing.

Jack McElligott arrives

MANY congratulations from The Irish Field team and no doubt from the wider racing world to our senior racing reporter Ryan McElligott and his wife Susan on the birth of their first child. Jack arrived weighing a healthy 8lbs on Monday and it probably won’t be long before he’ll hit a racetrack. Mum and Jack doing fine.