Rearguard tactics stay revolution

It wasn't Belgrade's main square. In fact it wasn't even a square. Instead it was the back of the stands at the Curragh racecourse. Nevertheless, the seeds of revolution were being sown. But in a very genteel way of course.

As all seasoned revolutionary observers know, you have to get the people in from the country if you want to be noticed. Slobo's goose had been cooked once the buses arrived, and there they were again yesterday.

There were more buses than a bandy-legged little man with a touch of whip-happiness could flake. And it wasn't just buses. There were horseboxes, ordinary cars, extremely large cars, four-wheel drives galore and even a helicopter. JP McManus came in that.

JP wasn't going on the march, however. He was going into the Turf Club general meeting. So was John Magnier. But there was no hiding the Coolmore Stud input.

Two "Ballydoyle Racing" horseboxes swept by and there was immediate wonder at their cargo. But the Ballydoyle and Coolmore stable staff had come by bus. As they disembarked, one media cynic remarked: "If anybody wants to nip in and nick Sadlers Wells, today's the day!"

But it wasn't just the best of South Tipperary. Among the 2,000 plus protesters were Dermot Weld, Aidan O'Brien, Michael Kinane, Charlie Swan, Sue Magnier, John Mulhern, Emer Haughey, Jim Bolger, et al. In terms of Irish racing it was a case of who wasn't there rather than who was. And then it was time to march.

At 10.20, an advance guard of about 250 began the 500-yard hike from the back of the stands to the front. And they did so to the revolutionary soundtrack of the Curragh Command loosing off an artillery round a mile away.

Aidan O'Brien and Charles O'Brien made the pace, although it looked as if it wasn't quick enough for Aidan. At 10.35 the Army boomed another shell. It was dramatic stuff, but not as dramatic as when Willie Mullins led the main bunch of protesters to the front of the stands.

The military let go another round as a sea of signs indicated almost every section of racing and a few placards proclaimed: "We need funding to survive."

When, at 10.52, three artillery shells were let off in quick succession, the sense of anticipation was huge, and sure enough the Turf Club chief executive, Brian Kavanagh, emerged to accept a letter of protest from Mullins.

There were a few boos, a quick handclap and some whistles piped. Mullins told the crowd that Kavanagh had thanked them for their dignified demonstration and that was that.

At a subsequent press conference the jockeys spokesman, Andrew Coonan, described the current impasse as "the most important issue ever faced by this industry".

The audience hummed its appreciation, but there wasn't exactly a rush to storm the Turf Club's Bastille.

Just as well really, since the Turf Club's later arbitration announcement out-gunned the Curragh Command and maybe even outflanked the revolution. The buses could only go home.