Annaghmore Sunday

HUSBAND and wife team Ronan Norton and Rachael Stewart are rounding off the season in some style.

The Killashee, Co Longford, couple have won five races with Iron Paddy and two races with Ayr Harbour in 2023. Fair Play Briolais made it five for the year as he took out a competitive looking A and B grade free-for-all last Sunday.

Jonny Cowden is driving every race as if his life depends on it (he is in second place in the drivers’ title). He took off like the proverbial scalded cat with Emil Paco. The tough mare Ha’penny Chance (Hopper Foran) made the Glengormley runner work for it, eventually Norton arrived with Fair Play Briolais for a quarter-length win in 2.04.7.

The comparative newcomers to harness racing are doing something right. The Nortons are the first stable from the midland county to take part in regulated harness racing. Locals are welcome to arrange a visit to the yard, the horses are certainly well done.

Commentator James Griffin keeps the crowd up to date with the drivers’ championship.

Following race one James announced that John Richardson had gone three ahead of young Cowden. JR won the opener with Meadowbranch Bobby and the E to D trot with the newcomer Good Wine Du Layon.

However, the northerner retaliated with a double of his own. Jonny hit the target with Long Island Art for the Galways and Sweet Caroline for trainer Lawrence Stewart. So, the gap between the two drivers remains at a slender two going into this weekend’s two-day meeting.

It’s all to play for, however the younger man is scheduled to represent Ireland in the European Apprentice Championships in Malta on the same day as the Irish season closes (October 29th).

On Sunday, John and Meadowbranch Bobby justified odds of 4/6 by skating up in a Grade F pace. The four-year-old (by Sportswriter) has a long loping stride and a low head check.

He is deceiving, he has speed, but his action makes him look like he is hardly moving. Let There Be Rock (Peter Lyttle) was the bridesmaid yet again.

It takes a bit of guts to back a recent French import first time out at Annaghmore. The newcomers will have travelled 20 hours or more on their way here (admittedly two weeks ago) plus they have to acclimatise. Some run well first time out in Ireland, others have galloped the place down.

On a card where seven new Trotteur Français made their debut, they generally went off at between 3/1 and 4/1. Good Wine du Layon, a seven-year-old driven by John Richardson opened at 5/2 and was promptly thumped into shorter.

They won but were a bit lucky as Good Wine du Layon caused a false start before coming out of the gate quickly at the second attempt for a handy win in 2.03.5.

The breeder Didier Le Page from the Loire Valley has sold around six horses with the ‘du Layon’ suffix to Ireland and they have all won several races, with the best being Curly du Layon. Does Good Wine du Layon’s name mean that he will get better with age?

Jonny Cowden’s double were both examples of his by-now trademark finishing kick. Long Island Art, Jim Galway’s busy-gaited son of Art Professor came to nail Ryan Hanson and EJ’s Dragoness on the line in the Grade G pace.

Sweet Caroline continues to impress for the Stewart, Coleraine yard. She came off a 10-yard trail to beat long-time leader Cracker Mach (Gabriel McDonogh) in 1.59.7 which is a very fast clock for a mare in October.

Uncharacteristic

The only blotch on Jonny’s day was when Jim Galway’s other runner Forever At It (5/4 joint-favourite) put in an uncharacteristic break in the Grade E and F pace. The gallop could have been the moment that sealed the 2023 drivers’ championship.

Jonny’s loss was Adam Corey’s gain. Adam, whose family own the yard where the Cowdens stable, buzzed Double Deuce out of the gate and the big old-fashioned pacer kept on well to beat the grey Nineteen Forty-Seven (John Richardson).

The Grade E and F pace was one of two ‘non-whip’ races selected by ballot on the card. The Irish Harness Racing Association delegates to this summer’s World Trotting Conference in Berlin picked up that ‘the whip’ and the image of the same is becoming a major issue in world harness racing. For instance, Norway has banned the whip altogether. Ireland is trying some non-whip races as an experiment and deserves praise for being pro-active in this aspect of horse welfare.

Finale Jihaime has speed but has been unpredictable at times. In the Grade E to F trot, the mare was on her best behaviour. Finale Jihaime and usual driver Joe Caffrey saw off Sean Kane with Energy Oaks.

The grade C and D trot was unusual in that five of the seven runners were making their Irish debut. The Irish team who picked the horses have selected some nice types.

On the day, Gentleman Coglais, a big, rugged type, adapted well to an 800-metre track. Limerick owner Michael Hamilton engaged Patrick Kane junior who took up the running early.

“He’s a nice big horse ‘’ said Patrick, “if Michael asks me to drive him again, I’d love to.”

The third last weekend of the current season, today and tomorrow, sees a gala meeting.

The Jack Galway and Gerry Keenan Memorial races will be held for older horses.

The Juvenile Series sponsored by Black Horse Equine Supplements of Finland are advertised to carry €5,000 per final. Races start at 1pm both days with the band “Run For Cover” playing in the clubhouse after racing. On the Saturday, a small-scale auction of horses has been arranged also.

Web: www.irishharnessracing.com

Replays: IHRA facebook

Latest Standings

National Leading Driver - Oct 11th

Driver Wins

John Richardson, Ballyboughal 22

Jonny Cowden, Glengormley 20

Troy McAleer, St Margaret’s 14

Billy Roche, Cloghran 14

Donal Murphy, Baltimore 13

Patrick Kane jnr, Trim 13

Oisin Quill, Kenmare 12

Sean Kane, The Naul 11

THE 2023 York yearling sales did not threaten the 2021 record price of £75,000 set by Oakwood Carmelita, however 14 yearlings fetched £15,000 or more.

The Offaly-based Oakwood Stud had a great sale. Oakwood Louis (by Sweet Lou) was the top-priced colt at £30,000 and he went to the Harrops of Durham who have been breeding pacers since the 1940s.

The top filly was Oakwood Maggie (by Foreclosure) who was bought at £25,000 by Finbar Quill of Kenmare.

Quill also signed for Oakwood Dessie (by Sweet Lou) whose photograph we carried in last week’s edition. That colt cost £18,000.

Scottish enthusiast Craig Stevenson was one of the organisers and he told The Irish Field that his pick of the sale was Ayroplane (by Stay Hungry) consigned by O’Neil brothers of Ayr.

The colt, with a neck like a Hereford bull, was bought by John Ball junior of Surrey and leading Irish trainer Paddy Kane. He made £20,000.

The Kane/Ball partnership worked a nice deal recently when Stateside Deuce was sold to America.

The Duggans from Cappagh in Tyrone had a great 2023 with the filly Priceless, they went to £15,000 for Ayr Admiral (by Always B Miki).