THE weather at the outset of the week, which resulted in the cancellation of Punchestown on Monday and made for some rather exacting conditions at Fairyhouse on Tuesday, meant that the fine spell that characterised much of the racing over the Christmas period is rapidly receding into the distant past.

Nonetheless, the attendances that some of the post-Christmas fixtures attracted should not be forgotten. As has already been noted, Limerick’s Christmas Festival did very well, Leopardstown returned improved figures for their four days, while Tramore’s New Year’s Day meeting once again performed especially strongly in bringing over 7,000 people through the gates.