Back at Ballybrit for a week of wagering, wine and wobbling home

Shark Hanlon: praise for jockey Brian HayesCredit: Patrick McCann

You were never drinking again. You were going to bask in glorious sunshine in a Balearic Island this week. You were not wasting your money on booze and nags. You were going nowhere near Supermac's after 2am. You were not stepping foot in a betting shop. You were not reading a single page of the Racing Post. This was a week for recuperation, relaxation and reading.

Yet here you are, back at Ballybrit for a week of wagering, wine and wobbling home. Deep down you knew you would be back. How could you sip cocktails on a beach in Cala d'Or when Dermot Weld has a hoard of handicappers we have yet to see the best of? He might even have some maidens who will end up winning Classics.

How could you top up your tan when Tony Martin has another top team for the Galway Hurdle? And how can you even dream about reading The Shining again when there are pages and pages of form to be studied?

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David JenningsDeputy Ireland editor

Published on 24 July 2016inGrand National festival

Last updated 18:52, 24 July 2016

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