Bertie leafed through his form book. He knows his horses, after all. Lucky Bertie's had a few wins on the nags in the past. "Rock and Roll Kid," he said confidently.

What to do? Gamble a second night's entertainment fund (€10) on the word of a politician -- even if it is the former Taoiseach. What if he was just being polite by picking that name, given he was at the track to attend Boyzone's Ronan Keating's fundraiser for the Marie Keating Foundation?

It was hard to think straight over the sound of the rain hammering off the windows. It had begun to pour out of the leaden skies just before noon, and it hammered down relentlessly all afternoon.

It made for a dismal beginning to the second day of the Galway Festival. The rain fell and fell like the ISEQ Index, as the hardy punters began to trickle into the racecourse.

Maybe it was a combination of the weather depression and economic depression that accounted for the 6,500 drop this year in attendance with 15,741 people going through the gates last night as opposed to over 22,000 last year.

Just before the first race, one particularly woebegone face materialised inside the press tent in search of a cup of coffee. It was John McIntyre, manager of the Galway hurling team -- the same unfortunate team who saw a clear lead against the Deise slip from its grasp in the last few minutes of the game last weekend.

"I never miss the opening day of the festival, but I couldn't being myself to be here on Monday," he admitted. John actually sat down on Monday night with his dog and watched a re-run of the nightmare game.

"Even my dog Coco had its paws over its eyes, knowing what was coming," he sighed.

Nor had the racegoers much to smile about for the first two races, as both favourites were beaten. But then the Master of Ballybrit came up trumps for the third, with Dermot Weld's Almolahek giving the crowd something to cheer about in between downpours.

And then Bertie picked his winner. He was at the track as usual, but this time he wasn't wandering around the mazy tented village, or holding court with friends and high-flyers in the Fianna Fail wigwam.

Instead he had the best view in the house, right over the finishing-line in a suite in the Killanin Stand -- an edifice which he himself cut the ribbon on in 2007.

But it was clear that he missed his canvas domain of the Fianna Fail tent.

"It's definitely taken something from the atmosphere at the meeting," he confessed. "It was built up over 15 years; it started very small with about 80 people and grew from there."

Bertie reckons that the sudden demise of the tented village is a "barometer of the recession -- it went from dozens of tents to zero," he said.

"Some of the flak it got over the years was a bit unfair but it never worried me," he added.

The former Taoiseach was in relaxed form, and intended to spend a couple of days at the track before heading off to Kerry for his usual summer holiday with the family -- Cecelia will be flying in from the US to join him.

"She has to mind herself this year now," he laughed, referring to his daughter's recently-announced pregnancy.

However, he'll be breaking his hollier for a quick day-trip to the capital to see the Dubs in action on Monday.

And despite his leg still not being completely healed from last year's accident, he is still doing a bit of globe-trotting -- he was in the US last week wearing his Co-Operation Ireland hat for a meeting with US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton.

Though before he left Dublin yesterday, Bertie had to do a bit more peace-keeping himself closer to home, and was brokering a peace deal between the GAA and rebellious constituents who were up in arms over the disruption caused by the U2 concerts in Croker.

"They're all good people, it's sorted out now," he explained. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon should watch his house.

Ronan Keating was sporting a tan acquired during a family holiday in Portugal -- he had just flown in from the sun yesterday morning for the fund-raiser. And he has a busy few months coming up.

"I've a solo album called 'Winter Songs' out before Christmas," he said. And he is also busily writing material with Boyzone compadre Stephen Gately for a new Boyzone album.

"We've just finished a really relaxed tour," he explained. "It's different this time around -- maybe it's because we have families now. This time, we've less money and no egos," he laughed.

With 100 guests paying €2,500 a table, Ronan was hoping the do would raise between €40,000 and €50,000 for the Marie Keating Foundation.

Also at the event was Cecelia Ahern's long-time partner, actor Dave Keoghan, who is currently working on the bodice-ripping series, 'The Tudors'.

He said he was looking forward to fatherhood. "I'm used to being surrounded by kids -- I can change a nappy with one hand at this stage," he boasted. No doubt Cecelia will be happy to let him hone his skills in this field, when the time comes.

There were a few happy faces at the rainy track last night. Ruby Walsh's wife Gillian and her sister Niki have set up a tented shop at the track for their new business venture, Diamondlite.ie, an online store selling synthetic diamonds -- which look exactly like the real yokes, but are a heck of a lot cheaper.

"They're recession rocks," laughed Gillian, who is expecting the couple's first baby in October.

Even despite the post-boom gloom, Gillian has been doing good business on the first couple of days of the festival.

"We've been busy -- and a lot of women are coming in and picking out something, swearing they'll come back in when they've had a winner," she explained.

Thanks to Bertie, this quids-in punter may be sporting a recession rock by the end of the week. Rock and Roll Kid crossed the line in first place, and then the sun came out. It was nothing short of miraculous.

Now if only Bertie could save the Celtic Tiger from the glue factory, we'd all be in the money.