Irish Nearly Home in Jumps Series

Tuesday, 13 August 2002 00:00

The visiting Irish team has all but wrapped up the Australia versus Ireland Jumps Series, even though there are still two more races left in the series.

Sandown will host the second last of the races tomorrow and the Australians would need to grab all three placings if they plan on scoring an unlikely win in the series.

Ireland's team of Danny Howard, Jimmy Mansell, Mark Madden and Sean McDermott dominated much of the early series, which kicked off in Adelaide on Saturday.

They won the Hurdle and Steeple at the Morphettville meeting as well as filling three of the four minor placings in the same events.

Australia pegged back some ground at Flemington on Sunday when Craig Durden and Brett Scott led in an Aussie one-two.

Ireland currently leads by 34 points. The series ends with the running of the Waterford Crystal Hurdle at Moonee Valley on Saturday.