Lyre Sunday

FERMANAGH may have sent out the most winners at Annaghmore on Saturday but on Sunday, the Dublin stables were dominant at the Richard Phelan Memorial held on Ger Heggarty’s superb field at Lyre.

Seventeen-year-old Troy McAleer can do no wrong at the moment and his rich vein of form saw him drive a treble including the feature event, the Richard Phelan Memorial Free-For-All with Northern Pride.

The friends of the sadly deceased young man really pushed the boat out.

The fixture will rival any meeting this year for sheer atmosphere.

Over €35,000 was spread over an 11-race card. Le TROT of France and the Irish Harness Racing were among the sponsors alongside many individuals credited in the programme.

Derry McCarthy, fresh from a win at Dunmanway the previous week aboard Teddy Camden, swapped his colours and whip for a place pulling pints in a fine tent. McCarthy owns the pub of the same name in Drimoleague.

Ample picnic tables with strong parasols were dotted around the viewing area. Several bouncy castles pleased the large number of mothers with toddlers in attendance.

The three-piece band ‘Eire United’ from Richard’s native Limerick belted out folk and rock between races. If your horse gets run off the track on the first bend, a rendition of ‘The Town I Loved So Well’ soon puts things right.

Troy the Boy rules the roost

TROY McAleer continues to lead the national drivers’ standings courtesy of a treble at the Richard Phelan Memorial Meeting.

Troy’s treble opened when Newtown Major took out the grade E and F pace. Newtown Major had been laid out for the race and has often faced stiffer competition. He did not go any larger than 1/2 in the ring and won as a short-priced favourite should.

Biggins (Chris O’Reilly) outbattled Oakwood Maestro (Jamie Hurley) for the betting without punters.

Young McAleer showed no sign of nerves as he drove another ‘jolly’, Northern Pride for the free-for-all pace of €2,500. The bookies made this a match between Troy and his mentor Billy Roche on Rhyds Rival.

Both horses raced their heart out, but Troy got first run on ‘The Red Baron’ (Billy). Roche will be cursing the fact that he taught Troy, Eoin Joyce and John Roche jnr so well.

At the line, Northern Pride held on by a head from the fast finishing ‘Rival’. “Things went a lot better than at Vicarstown where Billy beat me,” Troy told The Irish Field, “but we were giving him 30 yards that day, whereas we were off levels today.”

Surprise

Troy’s third and final winner, Kenosha Comet, was a comparative surprise. Rhyds Salsa (Eoin Joyce) headed the market at 4/7 with IB A Magician (Patrick Kane jnr) next in at 3/1, Kenosha Comet at 4/1 and 6/1 and 8/1 available about the rest.

Rhyds Salsa was well backed in the ring but unfortunately broke at the start. Yet again, it’s not every horse that will act on a grass track.

The error by the favourite left a clear run for Ned Stafford’s Kenosha Comet. The race was a rare good result for the straight layers who generally reported a difficult day.

A ‘thoroughbred’ bookie came to Portmarnock a few years back and commented ‘those guys don’t kick many wides’.

Wayne McNevin’s IB A Magician overcame a 20-yard trail to get within five lengths.

The other free-for-all on the card was for the trotting gait. Regrettably only four entered and this became three when Colombia d’Oysse was scratched.

Well known thoroughbred practitioner Thomond O’Mara will know better than anyone that horses are 65% luck and 35% having the animal in the right hands.

Thomond and his partner John Madigan certainly landed well when they drew Comete des Landes in the IHRA/Le TROT ballot system and purposefully chose the Murphys of Baltimore to train for them.

The three-horse, one-and-a-half-mile race was a fascinating contest. The crowd were rapt with attention and oohed and aahed as the pendulum swung.

Class horse

Denis O’Reilly knew his Duc d’Arry was the class horse in the race and he tried to go on early. Duc d’Arry was trotting very fast but kept galloping for a few strides at crucial points. Duc’s hops let the young gun Oisin Quill into the race aboard Fina Mix.

Donal Murphy joins the children to celebrate Comete des Landes’ win at the Richard Phelan Memorial Meeting \ Donie Hurley

However, Donal Murphy played his hand late with Comete de Landes. He sat on the back of the other two runners (‘braving her up’ as the Americans term that style of driving) and then came with a well-timed burst to disappoint the young Kerryman. Half a length was the official distance.

Cue wild celebrations in the winner’s circle. Tadhg and Donal Murphy are real family men and children appeared from everywhere. There was one lovely moment when the well-travelled Thomond O’Mara was left holding the mare and trying to keep her calm.

Elsewhere on the card, Neville Martin’s successful run continued as he reunited with long term ally John Richardson to pick up the maiden with Forever Amour (4/6). JR will be pleased that the winner is a Kikicolt from a Meadowbranch mare.

Brutenor at 13 years of age has been a great servant for Patrick Hill from Leap. The dour stayer saw off the well-backed Devoir Math (Billy Roche) in a division of the E to F trot.

Three ladies drove at the meeting. Rebecca Hurley looks like she will be a force although Louis Vuitton was unplaced. Coincidentally both Charlie Flanagan, on Meadowbranch Aurora, and Rachael Stewart on Iron Paddy, met trouble in running, did not panic and arrived at the post to win their races.

Aurora won a C class drivers’ race. The small mare looked supremely fit when she came off the lorry. West End Illusion should have been closer had he not veered off the rail.

Rachael looked beaten as Bingo de Connee (Calvin Broughan) went clear at the top of the stretch. Like all good horse people, Rachael gave the credit to her mount. “Paddy will always get you out of trouble,” was her comment.

Patrick Kane jnr was seen to good effect as he gave Anthony Malone’s Eliano Love a well-timed drive to pip Hallow Way Road (Patrick Hill) on the line in the C to D trot.

Darren Timlin made it four wins from five runners over the weekend when David Curtin’s Oakwood Amari beat Rhyds Eye Kandy (Patrick Kane jnr) for a Grade 1 pace. The winner drifted to 4/1 and 9/2 and was backed with at least one firm.

The wildest celebration of the day was reserved for the concluding C class drivers’ race.

The master and the pupil – Billy Roche with his nephew John Boy Roche at Lyre \ Donie Hurley

The quiet man, 18-year-old John Boy Roche, gave his own One Cool Touch (6/4 to 4/6) a confident drive to see off Cork rival IB Paddington (Eoin Murphy).

‘’I’m delighted for John Boy – he does all the work at home himself,” said delighted father John Roche. The bookies were not quite as delighted.

The action returns to Vicarstown, Co Laois, tomorrow where several well-respected trotting men will be remembered in trophy races.

Full results, runners and information can be viewed at www.irishharnessracing.com The track is about four miles from Junction 15 N7.

2023 National Harness Racing Drivers’ Title

Latest Standings at July 19th

Troy McAleer, St Margarets 12

John Richardson, Ballyboughal 9

Billy Roche, Cloghran 8

Oisin Quill, Kenmare 6

Patrick Hill, Leap 6

Sean Kane, The Naul 6

Eoin Murphy, Baltimore 5

Jonny Cowden, Glengormley 4

Jamie Hurley, Reenascreena 4

Noel Ryan, Drumcondra 4