Magical Fun back in style

An almost nine-month break saw a revitalised Magical Fun return to the course and land yesterday's Brownes Handicap Hurdle at the end of the Tralee festival.

After passing a morning inspection, the rain-sodden track was helped by a dry and warm afternoon. But it still provided a tough stamina test. "It's very soft, heavy in places," reported Richard Dunwoody after winning on Quinze.

But it proved no bother to Magical Fun who made all under David Casey to win by an easy 14 lengths.

Formerly trained by John Hayden, Magical Fun came off grass to join Willie Mullins' team this summer, and his new trainer said: "From what I hear, he raced so much on the flat that this was the first time he's had a long break and he probably needed it."

Mullins, whose Sambara will miss the Italian Champion Hurdle, completed a double when the odds-on Mykon Gold made all to win the bumper and give champion amateur Ruby Walsh his third success of the festival.

Mullins' Zacopani started favourite for Kearns Handicap Hurdle, but after travelling like a winner for much of the race, he had no answer to the finishing thrust of The Cobh Gale who gave Midleton, Co Cork, trainer John Crowley, who suffered a stroke last March, a welcome winner.

Mallow trainer Eugene O'Sullivan capped a wonderful week when Newberry Rose gave him his fourth winner of the festival in the mares maiden hurdle. Newberry Rose will appear next at Clonmel on Tuesday in the race in aid of the Shane Broderick appeal fund.

The bad weather made its mark on the Tralee festival with the track manager, Pat Crean, estimating a drop in attendance to 25,000 over the week. "I would think we lost a day's total attendance due to the weather," he said.

The Tote Aggreagate also dropped from last last year's £506,233 to £474,832. Bookmaker turnover also took a drop, from £2,000,081 last year to £1,650,218.