Duggan family stable, Galbally, Co Tyrone

CO Tyrone is not a traditional trotting hot bed, although one of the great early meetings was at the intriguingly named Washing Bay, across the county line from Annaghmore Raceway.

Annaghmore owner Clive Richardson has poured many resources into the facility in recent seasons. Cousins Sean and Simon Duggan alongside the Swindles from Tempo, Fermanagh typify the volunteer spirit of harness racing.

Simon, the stable driver, can often be seen harrowing the track, while Sean helps out when required on the commentator’s microphone. Social media this week shared images of the first few courses of brick being laid at the Annaghmore clubhouse.

To matters of racing and the cousins have notched up some impressive successes since starting out with the war horse Rhyds Boots around seven years ago. Previously the Duggans had horses with Billy Roche but at that time they started to train a bit more on the roads and forests of the Red County.

“You may tell your readers that old Boots is retired now,” states stable spokesman Sean. ‘’He cost £1,600 and won 34 races with 80-odd placings from 133 starts. We’ll hardly get another one like him.”

Sean and Simon are assisted by their uncle Martin and Mark and niece young Eimear Mullin.

The stable’s star trotter Abraham met with a setback last year and the season was a bit quieter than usual for the barn. Simon did drive a treble last summer with his own two mares and a catch drive on Foxfield Stephen.

The wily Tyrone man spoke about two trotters and three pacers for the (Covid permitting) season ahead.

Fortune De Ginai (FR)

6yo m Quaker Jet – Tagora de Ginai

She won first time out for us in 2019 and 2020. I still have faith in her although she has blotted her copybook a few times as well. She had some niggly issues which I think we have sorted. She is nice to jog at home but a wee bit fidgety on race days.

I Am Twisted (IRE)

3yo g Rachmaninov Seven– Equilatte

He’s a French Trotter conceived and foaled In Ireland. We got him started as a yearling and then threw him away. It’s a bit too soon to say but so far, he stays down pretty well which is everything in a young trotter. He could be named after any one of a number of people in our sport!

Cranlome Cora (IRE)

3yo f For A Few Dollars More – Lyons Allison

A homebred; the mother was a nice mare. She is nicely gaited. We trained her down to 2.07 at two and then turned her out to mature. She could be anything.

Go For Silk (IRE)

3yo f Total Truth – Coalford Silk

She is already 16.0 hh and her dam made 16.2hh. Again, she was mouthed and yoked young but then turned out to mature. She is a strapping big mare with a bit of personality. Gavin Murdock has been giving her track work at Annaghmore for us. We had good success with her mother.