Roscommon season commences Monday

Next Monday at Roscommon racecourse the 2002 racing season gets underway at 5.30pm, the first of eight races to be staged at Lenabane this year.

The most valuable race on the card which includes a racecard competition to win ?1,000 in free bets during the evening is the ?22,000 Frank Hannon Memorial Chase while the Flemings Super Valu Handicap Chase, the Red Mills Handicap and the Kepak-sponsored bumper will ensure plenty of competitive action.

The Ballaghaderreen Hurdle promises to be one of the highlights of the evening and some useful sorts have won the race in the past, particularly in recent years.

1n 1999, trainer Pat Hughes won the event with the versatile Quinze which went on to record a most impressive 14 length success in the Guinness Galway Hurdle with Richard Dunwoody in the saddle later that Summer.

And just twelve months later, Barba Papa won this race for trainer Tony Martin on the way to a memorable success in the Ascot Stakes on the second day of the Royal Ascot meeting.

One only has to look back through past results to realise how highly Roscommon races are regarded by the very best of owners, trainers and jockeys around the country.

At the Roscommon July meeting in 1999 the Michael Grassick-trained Preseli made a winning debut before going on to win the Listed Debutante Stakes at Leopardstown and then the prestigious Group One Moyglare Stud Stakes at the Curragh. She finished the campaign as champion Irish 2yo filly and joint European Champion filly that season.

Manager Michael Finneran is looking forward to another season:

'Our May meeting is always very special for us as we welcome back our many friends, our loyal sponsors and supporters for another season of racing. We are fortunate here at Roscommon to be able to offer the very best of National Hunt and Flat racing and last year betting turnover amounted to a staggering ?6.21. million (#4.89m) with the Tote and Bookmakers.'