THE Vincent Delaney Memorial was held for the first time outside of Ireland last weekend. Well-appointed North Wales track Tir Prince Raceway near Rhyl was the venue.

The Offaly-based brothers Derek and James Delaney, who own Oakwood Stud, pulled out all the stops with legendary American commentator Roger Huston on the mic and the Dolbadarn Film Horses performing daring stunts on both nights.

Gavin Murdock pulled off a major stunt himself when he won the £15,000 VDM colts’ pace, sponsored by Hanover Shoe Farms.

The Belfast visitors also dead-heated in the four-year-old fillies’ race as All Bets Are Off finished level with Oakwood Coral, who runs tomorrow at Lyre for Rocker Laidler.

Offaly-bred Newtown Jody won the Bernie Kelly Free For All for lady driver Vicky Gill, and Cavan-based Bernard Nicholson gave Churchview Frankel a peach of a drive to win the Oakwood Stud three-year-old colts’ race.

The fillies division went to Louisiana (Gordon Gilvear of Stirling) in a track record time. The winner is by Sweet Lou, offered via artificial insemination by the Delaneys.

The entire meeting was peppered with winners carrying the Oakwood prefix or sired by Oakwood stallions.