BILLY Roche and Sean Kane both drove doubles at Portmarnock’s penultimate meeting last Sunday. Billy scored on two pacers both by ‘The Winner Factory’ i.e. Kikicolt. Fittingly, Sean’s two winners came with two Trotteurs Français, for the Naul yard really embraced the ‘Le Trot’ programme since its inception.
Sean cannot mathematically win either the national driving title or the Portmarnock championship but it is rumoured that Billy and John Richardson are locked in a tight battle going into tomorrow’s closing meeting. I chose the word ‘rumoured’ carefully as information about the drivers’ standings has been almost non-existent.
I immensely respect the volunteers who keep the sport going but this tussle should have been publicised much more.
On the day Roche’s brace began when Kiki Girl owned by Corkman David O’ Sullivan upset the gambled-on Earnies Dream (Alex Cuffe) and similarly well-punted Newtown Shadow (Ruairi McNulty). Coincidentally, Ruairi once owned Earnies Dream.
Neither horse had any answer to the wily Billy Roche who allowed Cuffe to cut the fractions before producing his filly at the clubhouse to win snugly.
If there’s any justice in the world Alex will get a winner soon. He has yet to break his duck while Billy has accumulated 400 winners along the way. There will be some cheer if and when Sligo becomes the latest county to harness a winner.
Billy’s father-in-law Joe Gannon owns his other winner in partnership with Meathman Darragh Mitchell. Panam Colt comes across as a genuine sort, devoid of fancy equipment, and seems to be always on the bit. They won in 2.01.4 from the luckless Indie Hanover and Alan Wallace senior.
Confidence
Sean Kane is driving with confidence at the moment. He was a tad lucky in the Grade F trot as Dragee Du Lys broke at the start at the first time of asking.
A false start was called and as the rules dictate the offending horse was moved to the outside berth for the second try. In fairness, Sean drove on as if the mare had not broken at all and she repaid him with a convincing win in 2.40.2
The Broughans from Lusk were keen competitors when the White House Raceway was open near Ashbourne. Father Tony Broughan has invested heavily and his son Calvin is a valued team member at the Kanes’ Mooreside Stables. Sean Kane was delighted to put a winner on the board for young Calvin. The successful gelding is called Bingo De Connee, as the four bookies present will clearly remember.
There is a saying ‘fortune favours the brave’. Maybe that should read ‘fortune favours the persistent’. The connections of both Erimera Fromintero and Pangellica will readily admit that neither the Prix d’Amerique nor the Breeders’ Crown are within their grasp. However, if a trainer is willing to keep a horse going once the big guns have called time on their season, there are soft races to be picked up.
Pangellica (Aidan Caffrey) beat two home. Erimera Fromintero (Freddie Kavanagh) was one of only two to stay trotting in the opener. Still a win’s a win and owners Sean Gallagher and Anthony Malone deserve credit for keeping going with these journeymen types.
“I was going to give up on her, but Sean (Gallagher, the owner) kept at it,” Aidan told The Irish Field. Sean hails from nearby Donaghmede.
Martin Loughran is always popular with the betting public and he rewarded his backers with a win in the right-handed race with Alcazar Du Sienne. Evens to 4/6 was the business.
Randalstown-based Daniel McAteer has Cyclone De Couriere in sparkling late season form at the moment. A wide-margin win in 2.35.8 made it 1121 on his form line.
John Richardson got going late with Dahyla De Massara but the bird had flown. Daniel will be on the Irish apprentice team to face the French in Argentan, Normandy on the November 17th.
Top grade
JR had better luck with Maxie Collins’ Besame Mucho in the top grade trot. Not content with winning most of the big pots in the sport of coursing, Maxie seems intent on cleaning up in trotting also. As he winters many horses for the Meadowbranch power house, Besame Mucho can look forward to some lush green grass at Maxie’s Drogheda farm.
“He was some price,” said Maxie who also works as bookie at Portmarnock. The gelding touched 4/5 but won in the manner of a 1/4 shot. Maxie probably priced the other three runners and kept Besame Mucho for himself. If Besame Mucho’s fellow eight-year-old (Bold Eagle) can trounce the best in America, the Collins/Meadowbranch team will go into the winter break with confidence.
Finally, it has no great bearing on the events last Sunday but experienced horsemen will appreciate the significance of two Irish-bred Trotteur Français two-year-olds which actually qualified before racing last Sunday.
Granted both were unfurnished and looked at every pebble on the track, but more importantly with an entry in the Trotteur Français stud book and a recorded official time in public Highland Princess and Happy Fifty are now worth decent money to go and race in France, which is trainer Sean Kane’s goal.
In the 50-year history of Portmarnock Raceway, the pair were the first two-year-old trotters to ever qualify. The feat is a testimony to the patience of Ger Kane.
If the two can trot around Portmarnock’s tricky Malahide turn, then the tracks in France will feel like motorways for Highland Princess and Happy Fifty.
In the Tiny Hooves pony races there were wins for Taylor Clarke with Flames, Andrew Gosson with Blue Boy, Cody Joyce (also Flames) and Jayden Gilligan with Captain Sparrow who keeps getting put back 10 yards and overcomes this handicap. On Sunday, Captain Sparrow gave the rest 60 yards which is no mean feat for his sixth straight win.
Full results and Tiny Hooves news on www.irishharnessracing.com. Final meeting of 2019 season tomorrow 1pm start. Track off the R107 at Kinsealy Chapel. Newcomers welcome.
AS the 2019 season peters out, the thoughts of horsemen turn to 2020 and the dream of washing down a winner at a dusty Portmarnock or on the verdant green grass of Tregaron. Such goals keep horsemen motivated during the dark winter months.
At York, Marcus McAleer went to £6,800 for Larry Camden, while Fermanagh man Pat McDonogh bought the sales top lot Arts Prize at £16,000.
It was nice to see the Crothers name amongst the buyers and Sam Crothers’ purchase Showtime Ima Lady might outperform her £800 cost.
Paddy Kane spent £8,600 on Pixie Camden. Belfast trainer Gavin Murdock went through the ranks some years ago with Blackwell Hall Star and went to £12,000 for another Hasty Hall, namely Rhyds Eclipse.
At Builth Wells, the top lot was out of Another Mattie. Her progeny have a habit of coming to Ireland and winning the Vincent Delaney Memorial for two-year-olds. The colt Acclimatize went for £20,000 to Cumbrian owners the Huschkas. The horse will go to the Alexis Laidler barn. The consignment from the Oakwood Stud in Offaly sold well. Bill Donovan was active at the Lexington sale in Kentucky. As if he was anticipating that The Irish Field would be discussing the yearling sales, news came from America on Wednesday that Ballydehob born trainer Robbie Cleary had bought the sales topping colt at Harrisburg. Robbie went to $280,000 for the colt by American Ideal out of the stakes winning mare Electric Fool. Robbie trained the yearling’s older brother to win $700,000 for owners Royal Wire Products. Robbie is now full time in the US.