ANNAGHMORE staged a standard six race card last Sunday. The winners included several that had been going close at the venue and they all deserved their turn.

The good-looking dark bay Cyclone De Couriere was a popular winner of the F to G trot for sporting Randalstown owners the McAteers.

The winner of €29,000 lifetime going into Sunday’s race ‘Cyclone’ has been unlucky in picking up knocks in races over the seasons but he keeps coming back for more.

“At 12, it’s great that he is still enjoying his racing,” said winning driver Daniel McAteer. “He has had no real vet work over the years.”

Corail De Bellande (Alan Wallace jnr, 5/4 best) trotted level for third but the bird had flown.

The Coleraine stable of Walter Stewart has an embarrassment of riches at the moment and Lets Get To It lived up to her name, running away with the Grade F pace with oldest son Jimmy in the bike.

“She has been a great servant; I’ve knocked great fun out of her,” said Jimmy. As a daughter of Art Professor with a 2.00 mark to her name, Lets Get To It will make a nice broodmare. Maybe someday she’ll be bred to Walter’s For A Few Dollars More.

The veteran Earnies Dream gave his all for Alex Cuffe but could only manage second.

Proceedings opened with a lively betting heat for Grade G to G2 types. For once John Richardson did not go off as favourite as eventual winner Meadowbranch Lil Mil drifted to 3/1. Always B Puffing (John Boy Roche) was all the rage but got shuffled back in a quickly run race.

Sweet Dreams (Jonny Cowden) and Maid Sweet (Gavin Murdock) came with their runs to make it a 1-2-3 for Sweet Lou who won $3.5 million in his previous job.

A 2.01.8 was new lifetime mark for the Flanagan’s home-bred.

Easy winner

John made it a double on the day as Rugadh Me Reidh (no offers in the betting ring) ran out the easy winner of the B to E pace. One Cool Touch satisfied the ‘without’ backers in second place.

Yet another Sweet Lou, Rugadh Me Reidh clocked 2.00.3 without turning a hair. “She’ll have another race or two and then I’m sending her to the States,” was John’s comment.

John Morgan’s Ecrin De Grimault is built like a police horse but he also has speed. Regular pilot Noel Ryan from Drumcondra was in the bike. Noely soon made up his 20-yard trail in the B to D trot and was always holding Extrem Ryld (Adam Corey).

The meeting closed with a deserved win in the apprentice trot for the Duggans from Galbally who do much to help the racing at Annaghmore.

Tiernan Loughran gave the nine-year-old mare Feline De Noes a patient drive and picked off the pacemaker Biniou De Beuvron (Charlie Flanagan). Fiesta Tejy (Troy McAleer) came with a late run and ‘3 points win’ is recommended at Lyre today.

Jonny Cowden, Glengormley 10

Patrick Kane junior, Trim 6

Troy Mc Aleer, St Margarets 6

Jamie Hurley, Reenascreena 6

John Richardson, Ballyboughal 6

Michael O’ Mahony, Schull 5

Patrick Hill, Leap 5

Oisin Quill, Kenmare 4

GER Heggarty’s farm at Lyre Clonakilty has emerged as home to both of the major two-day festivals of harness racing in West Cork.

The first of the season is the Richard Phelan Memorial meeting, which takes place today and Sunday with a 2.00pm first race both days.

Richard, a proud Limerick man, was a great supporter of harness racing and was involved in all aspects of the sport. He owned, trained and drove horses and was also involved in breeding.

He sadly passed away in February 2023 and some of his closest friends including John Moloney, Jamie Hurley and Philip and Mary Gilligan came together to organise a memorial day in June last year.

“Things were a bit rushed last year. Richie was a popular figure in the sport and we got great help from all over Ireland and especially from the Limerick lads who rowed in behind us.” Jamie Hurley of the committee explained during the week.

The programme will include the heats and finals of the Richard Phelan Memorial Trot and the same for pacers.

The plan is to run the heats on the Saturday with the finals taking place on Sunday. A total of €8,000 of added money is up for grabs.

Big attraction

The free for all trot* will be one of the big attractions over the weekend. Entries include Graal Du Dollar, Duc D’Arry and Holloway Road representing Cork.

The Quills of Kenmare will yoke Fina Mix and Feerie De Brouets. Co Longford-based owner Ronan Norton has Fairplay Briolais as an entry.

Limerick supporters will be cheering on Gentleman Coglais. Fiesty Tejy makes the journey from Meath for the Joyce family and finally Extreme Rhyd travels down from Belfast for owner Kevin Corey.

The free for all pace sees track record holder Northern Pride making his seasonal debut. Local hopes rest with Ayr Paparazzi who won last week in Dunmanway. Throw in Lakeside Paddy and Cash All and it has the makings of a classic.

French drivers

On Sunday, eight French drivers will be lining out for the Ireland versus France drivers Challenge. Races are scheduled for both professional and apprentice drivers. The glamour booking for the committee is 43-year-old Franck Ouvrie who trains at the Chateau de Grosbois outside Paris.

Ouvrie ‘owned’ Lyre during two previous visits to the August ‘Red John’ meeting. Accustomed to the immaculate French tracks, he showed he could drive on grass and notched up four wins and leading driver on his last visit. Marc Sassier (36) (with 115 wins) Jonathan Poutrel (39) (75 wins) and Mickaël (43) (47 wins) are the rest of the squad. Ouvrie has 1,491 wins plus 12 under saddle.

Four apprentices will travel including Thomas Borodajko who has yet to win in France. What a place to break your duck!

If France make it to Sunday’s Euro football final, some lucky Cork publican is in for a bonanza.

Off the track there will be plenty of activities for both the kids and adults with bouncy castles and face painting, treats et cetera.

The venue is 6km from Clonakilty taking the R588 heading towards Enniskeane. Racecards for both days can be found on www.irishharnessracing.com.

* free-for-all: top class race, off level handicaps, no allowances for sex or age.