SLOW START FOR IRISH DOWN UNDER The Irish jump jockeys team got off to their usual slow start when the annual Australian tour got underway early this morning.The eight race series began in traditional fashion with a high weight flat handicap over 1950 meters (just under 10 furlongs) at Gawler, South Australia and once again the home side opened up a healthy early advantage.Regarded as a warm-up, Mark Madden finished well beaten on the 2/1 market leader in the race and Jimmy Mansell fared no better on the 7/2 second favourite.Sean McDermott finished fourth on outsider Borwood Road while Danny Howard took fifth place.As the race was under flat rules, only half points were awarded and Australia lead by five points to one as the series moves to the Adelaide city track at Morphetville on Saturday.The team, who arrived without their luggage due to delays on the first leg of their trip from Dublin to London, fly to Melbourne after racing on Saturday and ride at Flemington on Sunday.
