Luckless Irish in deep trouble The Irish jump jockeys are enduring a wholesale drubbing at the hands of their hosts on their Australian tour. At Victoria Park, Adelaide, on Saturday the best they could manage were fourth placings in both the Guinness Chase and the Clancy's Charge Hurdle.Shane McGovern finished fourth in the chase on Just Dynamite while Ross Geraghty was beaten just over two lengths on 4 to 1 chance Paisano.Neil Mulholland had a last fence fall in the chase and it was thought he might have aggravated his previously troublesome collar-bone but a bit of physio worked and he went on to finish a close fifth in the hurdle.The riders flew to Melbourne on Saturday night to ride at Flemington on Sunday. Ross Geraghty partnered favourite Sir Nagano in the Hyland Sportswear Australia vs Ireland hurdle but on unseasonably fast ground could only finish fourth behind Craig Durden on 8 to 1 chance Tijuana Taxi.Neil Mulholland's mount was scratched and both Philip Carberry, sixth on a 25 to 1 outsider, and Shane McGovern, on a 40 to 1 no-hoper, were never likely point earners. The Irish trail badly, 34 points to 5, and a scheduled night out in The Quiet Man pub just about sums up the mood.There was a big media reception on Monday and the Aussies certainly know how to slag. But Sandown, on Wednesday, has been good to the Irish in the past and the finale at Moonee Valley next Saturday still, hopefully, leaves plenty to play for.
