Large crowd enjoys sunshine and tax-free betting at Galway Races

The start of the Galway race week was also supposed to be the start of Irish racing's no-tax paradise, but yet again it was the bookmakers who came up smiling.

The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, made the first ceremonial bet without tax, but his fate was a bad omen for the rest of the week.

Making a £500 bet for a children's leukaemia charity, the Minister was given a price of even money on the Dr Michael Smurfit-owned horse Gordi in the opening race by bookmaker Mr Joe Donnelly.

"An even monkey," called Mr Donnelly, and the 16,150 crowd seemed to bow to the Minister's judgment. Gordi started as a 4/7 favourite only to struggle home in eighth place.

However, if there was wailing and gnashing of teeth over the fate of some of the evening's favourites, it was kept discreet as the crowd, which included the Grand Prix team owner, Eddie Jordan, enjoyed the sunshine.

The new £6.5 million millennium stand received general approval as yet another record festival was forecast. The trends were promising with a course record Tote for the first day of £448,608, up almost £30,000. The bookmakers' turnover reached the spectacular figure of £1,083,528, also well up on last year.

Last year over 150,000 attended, a figure that is sure to be eclipsed by the introduction of the seventh day and even the £10 million plus that was bet in 1998 is odds on to be beaten.

The main reason is likely to be the abolition of the 5 per cent betting tax that was originally set to start on July 1st, but due to legal problems was shelved for a grand entrance at Galway. Predictably, the bookmakers are expectant.

"The turnover of money is beating the levels of previous years, simply because of the tax," said Mr Brian Graham of the Sean Graham organisation.

"For us the changes are great because the flow of business is better not having to mess around with change and the public now know exactly what they are getting."

It has probably been a while since the legendary gambler, Mr Barney Curley, worried about change from a bookmaker, but he has been attracted to Galway by the new no-tax environment and also trains a horse that runs in the fifth race tonight.

The horse is called Mystic Ridge and he was ferried from England to Leopardstown to win earlier this month only for Mr Curley to discover the new law was not in yet.

"I had a bet on him at Leopardstown and it cost me £5,000. I think I might write to Mr McCreevy and see if he will send me a cheque!" said Mr Curley.