THERE is a crossover between racing and most other equestrian sports in Northern Ireland and harness racing owner Sean Duggan, who trains in the rolling hills of Co Tryone, uses a local racehorse trainer’s pool to swim his horses on occasion.

Duggan trains the country’s best trotter (as opposed to pacer) at the moment, Abraham, who, driven by the trainer’s brother Simon, was one of two winners for the yard at the recent 50th anniversary meeting at Portmarnock Raceway. The Duggans’ apprentice, Tiernan Loughran, drove the 11-year-old Rhyds Boots to win the day’s top graded trotting heat.

The Duggans currently have five horses in training and tend to these in the early morning or in the evenings on their return from work.

On the regular flat racing scene, Caledon trainer Andy Oliver sent out the Leigh Roche-ridden Lumsden to win the six-furlong maiden for three and four-year-olds at Sligo on Tuesday evening. Having taken a walk in the market from 5/1 out to 20/1, the 2016 Helmet gelding carried the trainer’s own colours to victory by a nose over the even-money favourite, Cruella Dovil.