THE IRISH horse racing website, goracing.ie, is currently highlighting the summer festivals of racing up until September of this year. With the Killarney July festival just over and Galway on for the rest of the week, the remainder of the summer sees a number of other meetings that might merit our attention.

Our near neighbour, Tramore, holds its traditional August meeting from Thursday the 12th to Sunday the 15th. With three evening meetings and a mixture of flat and national hunt racing at the seaside track, punters, racegoers and holiday-makers are promised some great entertainment, no matter what day they go.

Racing switches to Kerry again the following week with another festival of racing at the track in Killarney. From August 17 to 20, this meeting is a replacement for the Tralee meeting at Rose of Tralee time in the Kingdom. We return to Kerry in September for the Listowel Harvest Festival meeting run from September 12 to 18 where a sevenday festival has a wonderful mixture of jumps and flat racing and includes the prestigious Kerry National Steeplechase.

The website also throws in a couple of one-day meetings as 'festivals' such as Leopardstown champions' day on September 4 and Laytown on the 7th, but to be honest that seems to be stretching the concept of a festival meeting just a bit too far. Why not log on and find out more?

THE NEXT BIG THING!

Aidan O'Brien tried valiantly to win the Group 1 King George and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot last weekend with his Irish Derby winner, 'Cape Blanco', under Colm O'Donoghue.

The three-year-old son of 'Galileo' saw off this year's top three-year-old, 'Workforce', but couldn't deal with a course recordbreaking performance from the four-yearold 'Harbinger'.

This four-year-old is now being touted as the next best thing following this elevenlength victory. Perhaps he is, but I wouldn't mind seeing

how he will cope with O'Brien's 'Fame and Glory', last year's Irish Derby winner, later in the season before making up my mind.

REVIEW OF THE WEEK

On the home front, Aidan O'Brien continues to saddle a good percentage of winners to runners and scored a nice Group 3 success with 'Air Chief Marshall' at The Curragh on July 17.

This three-year-old son of 'Danehill Dancer' seems to have blossomed into a nice horse and this win under Johnny Murtagh at 5/1 augurs well for the future.

On the same card, O'Brien also scored with 'Misty For Me', a two-year-old filly by 'Galileo' who won at 7/1.

At the same track, Jim Bolger sent out a nice double, with Kevin Manning in the plate, winning with 'Suntan', a two-year-old by ' Bachelor Duke', and ' Vita Venturi', a three-year-old 'Galileo' colt.

The same two yards had further success during the week when Bolger and Manning scored another victory with ' Myrine' at Ballinrobe. This was a good win with a fouryear-old 'Sadlers Wells' filly in the colours of Michael Ryan.

Bolger continued his good form when saddling 'Music In the Rain', a two-year-old by 'Invincible Spirit', at Naas on July 21, again under Manning at 4/1.

The shortest-priced winner of the week came at Leopardstown on July 22 where Aidan O'Brien sent out ' Zoffany', a twoyear-old by 'Dansili', to win the Tyros Stakes over seven furlongs under Johnny Murtagh.

This horse opened at 9/2 in the betting ring and was well supported down to 7/1 on to win, giving a return of one euro for every seven euro bet on him to win!

Over the jumps, David Casey took another Beginners' Chase, this time at Tipperary on July 18 when winning on 'Glenstal Abbey' for Charlie Swan on the 9/4 favourite.

Down in Limerick on July 22, Lorcan Donnelly sent out 'Willies Girl', a six-year-old by 'Anshan', to win the handicap chase in the capable hands of the young professional jockey, Mick Darcy.

This mare looks like giving the Donnellys plenty more fun this summer.

On the same card, Andrew Latta from Enniscorthy booted home another winner, this time for Jessica Harrington in the concluding bumper, when winning on 'Fuschia Belle'. This four-year-old ' Presenting' filly was kept well up to her business by Latta to win at 13/2.

- with DICK WHITE