IN harness racing as with so many other sports, it is always interesting to track family names down through the generations. When the racing game is in your genes, it’s only natural to follow in the family footsteps.

The late Jim Murdock, patriarch of the Murdock family from Belfast’s Market district was proud that he could trace the Murdock and Hawkins names back to racing in the 1920s.

Dubliner Liam Wallace, who died last year, first saw trotting in Chapelizod which has to be 65 years ago and won his first race at the flat field at Blackchurch on the Naas Road around 1970.

The two dynasties live on to this day as Jim’s nephews Jay (45) and Gavin (41) carry on the Murdock name and Liam’s son Alan (57) and grandson Alan junior (37) keep the Newtown banner flying.

It is a neat storyline that Gavin Murdock and Alan senior will be racing their horses against each other in 2022.

Gavin’s father Harry Murdock and Liam Wallace shared mutual respect on and off the track. Liam christened Harry ‘Falcon Eddie’ when they clashed week in and week out in the seventies. Harry was keen to get his hands on Liam’s The Irish Field biography in 2018.

Liam once asked (more like dared) the retired Harry to drive Young Commander in a race. Harry duly delivered a win.

In October last year while the family was in mourning, Alan junior dropped Vinnie Camden up to Gavin’s yard so the colt would miss no work. The circle is unbroken, as the song says.

Former champions

The purpose of these pieces is to find ‘five to follow‘ from both stables, but it would be remiss not to mention some of the former champions prepared by the two camps.

Gavin, helped by his brother Jay, planned the career of Musselburgh winner Springhill Alibi. The brothers took Blackwell Hall Star right through the grades. In 2022 they won the coveted Delaney Memorial for two-year-old colts in North Wales with Oakwood Paddy.

Gavin’s protégé Blackwell Ruby (named after his daughter) has finished her US career and will fly home in foal to Lazarus who was timed in 1.46.3 and won $US 3 million.

Alan Wallace senior raced the free-for-all stallions Young Commander, Sure Cam and Scarlet And Gold. Alan junior campaigned the exciting Trotteur Français mare Eva Dairpet. Liam senior would approve as they sent the mare to the US, won decent money and then sold her on.

Last year the Cloghran yard produced Newtown Rock for an Indian summer to his career.

Stable near the airport will be flying

THE well-laid out Newtown Stud is directly under the flight path of planes coming and going at Dublin Airport. Alan senior only offered two to follow but with one he made some confident statement. The father asked that we interview his son about the other horses.

Both Wallaces were at pains to mention Ishanand Teepo and Nadina Ironia who work hard in the yard. Yes, that Nadina Ironia.

Alan Wallace senior

NEWTOWN ROCK (USA)

9yo h Rocknroll Hanover –

Hannah M

He has been mentioned in your paper, good and bad since he was two. He has simply improved with age. He was always a big gangly type and I probably did too much with him when he was young.

He was bridesmaid to Matticulous in 1.56. He will combine racing with stud duties. I did that with Young Commander and Sure Cam and it didn’t faze them.

NEWTOWN LILY (IRE)

2yo f Total Truth – Onyx Killeen

I love her. The stallions oldest crop are now five and I had a beauty by him that I since sold. She is by a world champion out of the same dam as Newtown Jody. She will win the VDM and the Breeders’ Crown.

Alan junior

CHURCHVIEW CAMELOT (IRE)

3yo g (Foreclosure – Lyons Flum)

Bernard Nicholson gave him a foundation and qualified him at two. At that point Joey Adams bought the horse. He has gone a couple of slow miles and is doing it well. He is staked for all the big races here and across the water.

COLLEEN CAMDEN (GB)

3yo Art Professor – Up Front Bethan

We raced her at two but we did not slay her as she was growing too quickly. I think she is special so much so that I bought her full brother myself. My late Granda kept trying to buy her but Derek Jennings has held onto her.

VINNIE CAMDEN (GB)

2yo c Art Professor – Up Front Bethan

As explained I love the sister so I bought the same blood. Both Colleen and Vinnie have three white socks and they say that’s good luck. I dropped him up to Murdocks at the time of my grandfather’s funeral and they were dying about him. He’s been in training since October.

GAVIN Murdock pointed out that he relies on his brother John Paul (better known as Jay) a lot. The Annaghmore yard will be home to a secret weapon in 2022 as their cousin Ciaran Morrison who trained at the highest level in Canada, is home to stay. Ciaran started off Lyons Somewhere a top colt in that year’s crop.

The three most important team members are the children Ruby, Jack and Georgia and obviously the ponies Jessie and Minnie are more valuable than any 1.55 horse! Mention also to Amy, and to Luke Timlin.

Gavin has an embarrassment of riches at his disposal this year. Even the top class Oakwood Cowboy, “the best horse I have sat behind,” did not make the final five.

SWEET GOSSIP (GB)

2yo g Sweet Lou –

Only Gossip

He belongs to Neil Mc Dermot and Eoin O’Neill, and they just might have found one. He is a beautiful black colt, really strong. He is still at the 2:45 stage but so far so good. The dam has produced a 1:48 horse and a 1:49. He is straightforward.

SWEET SUNSET (USA)

3yo f Sweet Lou – El Dees Journey

She had four or five races at two. She came up against Coalford Sweet Lou who was a more battle-hardened filly. We’ve left a bit to work on this year. She is a lady to work with. Clive Richardson owns her, he has been a good supporter of the barn.

ALL BETS ARE OFF (IRE)

5yo m Foreclosure - Bet Your Miffed

I’m really looking forward to her. She has never been out of the first two. I think she will be Free-For-All* class which is a big thing for a mare. She will be aimed at the All-Ireland Series. There’s a mares’ race in England too. I intend to be in Britain a lot this summer. The Maughans from Enniskillen own her and they are great owners.

DYLAN CAMDEN (GB)

3yo g Art Professor –

Keystone Havoc

We qualified him in 2:05 at two. However, we threw him out as he was a wee bit weak. He has filled out into a lovely horse. He is a full-brother to Robyn Camden so you’d have to be hopeful. The Timmons brothers from Wolverhampton are the owners. He went 2:40 the other day.

OAKWOOD PADDY (IRE)

3yo g Foreclosure – Carmel Camden

He is owned by Ruairi McNulty and he went 2:01 at York as a two year on a heavy track. At Tir Prince his race went faster than the Free-For-All on the card. He grew a hand over the winter. No boots, a set of blinds and point him at the gate.

*Free-for-all: The top grade in harness racing/open class/no age or sex allowances.