Tralee's future not smelling of roses

RACING: Possibly the most important week in the 105-year history of Tralee's beleaguered track begins this afternoon against a backdrop of recrimination and uncertainty.

In just 15 days' time the shareholders will hold an e.g.m. to vote on whether to sell the near-100-acre site. A "yes" vote will almost certainly end racing at a venue that in the past has hosted legendary names such as Vintage Crop and Dawn Run.

With the directors having already voted to stop racing, the threat of this being the last Rose of Tralee festival is very real but that does appear to have roused the indignation of locals.

The Save Tralee Racecourse Campaign expect to have pre-sold almost 6,000 admission tickets, as part of their campaign, by today, with buyers paying €12 (compared to €15 at the gates).

The prospect of demonstrations at the gates today has been ruled out by the chairman of the Supporters' Club. But he also expressed confidence this would not be the last Tralee festival.

"On Sunday night one of the major shareholders told us he is with us and two other shareholders will be directly influenced by him as well," said Eddie Barrett yesterday. "Bar a huge debacle, I would be cautiously optimistic that we will have a majority of the shareholders."

Barrett, who hopes to unveil an alternative business plan within 48 hours, also declared that the prospect of widespread building development on the Ballybeggan Park site is now "not an issue".

The chairman of the Tralee board, Richard Chute, was unavailable for comment yesterday.

One man who will have been happy to see the ground forecast of "firm" is the festival king Dermot Weld, whose Galway hopes were disrupted by the soft going. Weld didn't even bother sending Naahil to Ballybrit and instead kept the chestnut in reserve for when the ground turned.

That policy yielded an easy win at Roscommon on the flat, and a Leopardstown defeat last time can be put down to the drop back to ten furlongs.

Naahil goes in the first-day feature, the Patsy Byrne Hurdle, and the likelihood of quick ground is crucial to his chances.

Weld also has a major shout in the opener, where Summer Sunset can break her duck at the expense of the Ballydoyle newcomer Tu Eres Mi Amore.

Chantelle found only Rossmore Rosie too good for her at the Curragh on Saturday and can confirm her good form in the sprint handicap.