GAVIN Murdock, who runs a barn at the track with his brother Jay, was the man in form at Annaghmore last Sunday. The Belfast man scored a treble with Bobby Barry’s Fun In The Sun, Ruairi McNulty’s Oakwood Mick and Ivan Swindle’s veteran Best of Burois.
The place was busy with a 14-race card. The IHRA seem to be damned if they do, damned if they don’t as regards staging championship races for two-, three- and four-year-olds.
As a sport, these have to be held, but the tight eligibility criteria and the rigours of training etc meant that the Development Series generously sponsored by the Horse Sport Ireland/Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, provided small fields of runners.
Official sources explained to The Irish Field that there are even bigger legs still to come in the autumn.
On a positive note, the races were good viewing and any of the six winners could go on to represent Irish breeding well on the world stage. It’s still embryonic, but this country is becoming known as a ‘nursery’, just like the Irish thoroughbred industry.
Fun In The Sun pulled off an audacious coup first time out at the Vincent Delaney Memorial at Wolverhampton last month. The ‘cream cookies’ took no chances on Sunday and the daughter of Lazarus won at prohibitive odds from the Roches’ promising Always Be Puffing in the three-year-old fillies’ division.
Ran away
Oakwood Mick ran away with the three-year-old colts’ version - 29 and three-quarter lengths was the margin announced. The McNultys grew up locally on the Armagh/Tyrone border.
“Thank God to see him win like that,” was the old-fashioned comment from the owner’s mum Martina McNulty, who brought a delegation of supporters.
The Murdocks are usually associated with well-bred young pacers more so than old journeyman trotters. However, if you’re looking for an old journeyman trotter, Ivan Swindle’s Best of Burois (7/2) has been around the track more often than the starting car. The 13-year-old upset the well-supported Elysium D’ostal (John Boy Roche) to win the C to E trot.
The Roche’s fared better in the two-year-old fillies - a rout for Churchview Meow. Similarly, Ayroplane and Patrick Kane jnr made it six from six in the younger colts’ race. He will go into winter quarters as favourite for the Irish and English Derby.
Unfortunately, Rhyds Shady Affair’s only opponent was a non-runner, so Patrick had a ‘gimme’ in his tight battle with Jonny Cowden for The Irish Field silver salver. ‘Winner of a leg of the Four-year-old Champion Stakes’ is his official title now.
The four-year-old fillies saw a shock result, when the enigmatic Priceless (Simon Duggan) deigned to join in and really put her shoulder to the breastplate.
The mare has featured in this column previously for playing up at the start, but when she is in the mood, she is useful as 2.00.4 shows. Rugadh Me Reidh (John Richardson) was beaten favourite on a day where the layers generally won.
“Jay Murdock (no connection to the winner) said to me as they passed the farm buildings that she was on today,” said a delighted Sean Duggan. No doubt some pub around Cappagh will be painted Tyrone red by now.
THE final 10 races, for all ages of horses, were well-supported with an average of eight runners per contest.
Derry McCarthy, a publican in the trotting heartland of Drimoleague, West Cork, is having some season. He has picked up some nice pots on his home circuit, the Welsh Classic in Tregaron with Stateside Lockdown and now a very competitive top-grade pace with Teddy Camden.
Driver Ciaran Morrison had to make plenty of use of the son of Stonebridge Galaxy, as Ayr Paparazzi (Kevin Carey) tortured the life out of the leader, but Teddy Camden showed good resolve to hold on.
“He’s a quirky horse, but when he puts it in, he’s very good,” said Derry.
Ciaran won with another West Cork-owned runner, when Bequest from the Murphy, Baltimore stable took out the Grade E to F pace in a tick over 2.00.
The unofficial leader board (see below) states that Jonny Cowden is two behind Patrick Kane jnr in the title. However, the gap could be as close as ‘one’, as certain disqualifications have not been updated. Either way, it’s turning into a tight contest with JR not out of it either.
‘Jonny Be Good’s’ first winner of the afternoon came with Joe Sheridan’s consistent Springhill Lockdown (evens favourite), who shed his maiden tag for the master of Springhill Stud.
h>Unfancied winner
Inspire Me was another unfancied winner in the Future Broodmares trot for West Cork owner, John Healy and Longford-based driver, Ronan Norton. It was good to see an Irish-reared Trotteur Français lower the colours of Hotesse du Chassin and Fiesta Tejy, as these are decent imports.
John Morgan’s Ecrin de Grimault (5/2) stepped up from his second place seven days previously to win the top-grade trot. The strapping son of Une de Rib was driven more prominently on Sunday. The gallant Harry Knows, off 50 yards, tried his heart out for Patrick Kane jnr, but there are no easy races in this grade.
Italia du Mont is not an easy drive. Martin Loughran from Cooley loves the challenge of a difficult horse. The Cooley Magician kept Italia du Mont covered up and produced her at the only post that matters to score in 2.37.4 for 10 furlongs. The winner raced in the name of Paul McInerney from Clare and was nibbled at in the ring.
The closing Future Broodmares Pace could go down in the records as a ‘six pointer’ like they say in Premier League Soccer. Title contender Jonny Cowden held off current leader Patrick Kane jnr.
Coleraine trainer Lawrence Stewart produced both the winner, Battle Fever and the runner-up, Always Skye, quite an achievement. Lawrence’s mother, Carmel was bursting with pride.
Racing continues tomorrow at Annaghmore Raceway. From the North take Junction 13 M1. From the South the track is eight miles west of Richhill.
Replays can be watched on IHRA Facebook. Results, entries and general information can be seen at www.irishharnessracimg.com
Latest drivers’ table - to Sept 14th
Patrick Kane jnr, Trim 20
Jonny Cowden, Glengormley 18
Eoin Murphy, Baltimore 14
Troy Mc Aleer, St Margarets 13
Jamie Hurley, Reenascreena 13
John Richardson, Ballyboughal 12
Oisin Quill, Kenmare 9
Noel Ryan, Drumcondra 8
Billy Roche, Cloghran 8