THE organisers could not have anticipated the effect that shoe horning both the Saturday and Sunday card into one meeting would have. Various owners had promised to lend their horses for the two challenge races between some Irish drivers and the visiting Frenchmen.

Therefore, the running order of the races had to be re-arranged so that the guests got to drive ‘fresh’ horses and not animals which were running their second 12-furlong heat on the same day.

The most richly endowed race of the ‘two-day festival’ was the Maven Trot, principally sponsored by Bill Donovan of Florida. The contest was for nearly €5,000 to the winner.

Husband and wife team Ronan Norton and Rachel Stewart actually pocketed €7,181 notwithstanding their heat money as 5/2 second favourite Fair Play Briolais (Ronan) held on by a length from Irish Paddy (Rachel - 8/1).

Our main photo this week is unusual across any form of racing. When did you ever see the second placed ‘rider’ beaming from ear-to-ear?

The Nortons are the only family based in Longford involved in proper track racing. Hopefully, their success might bring a few more converts to harness racing. Interested parties can contact the couple who would be happy to show their horses.

Rachel and Ronan are sporting types and their horses are always going forwards. They take triumph and disaster the same way and are always respectful to the stewards. A few participants could take a leaf out of the Nortons’ book.

Feature race

The other feature race was the Red John pace final. In this the enigmatic Cash All (4/6) repeated the electrifying turn of foot he showed in winning ‘Saturday’s’ heat. The son of Kikicolt ran out a comfortable winner over Newtown Major (Troy McAleer).

The winning trainer/driver John Richardson has hit a rich vein of form in recent weeks. “He can be a funny horse, especially behind the gate,” said JR. “I changed a few pieces of equipment including putting on an ear hood and it seems to have worked.”

In a change of format for 2023 the top-class horses were kept out of the heats and finals competitions. Instead, the seven highest rated trotters and six highest rated pacers went in two ‘free-for-alls’ * for €13,000 and €5,000, respectively.

Stewards’ room

Unfortunately, the Red John FFA pace was settled in the stewards’ room. Northern Pride (Troy McAleer) won cosily enough fending off English raider Newtown Jody (Vicky Gill) even though the latter ran her heart out.

An enquiry was called and after a protracted hearing, the home side were demoted for going inside the markers on the far turn.

Both Adam Corey (Franchon de Roche) and Christy Foran (Ha’penny Chance) were scrubbed out in recent weeks for the same transgression so at least there is consistency.

‘’We left immediately after the race to catch our ferry,” said Vicky’s father John Gill, “and we had no idea we had been awarded the race until someone phoned us. I hate winning a race in this manner, but there was no doubt the guy went inside the pegs.” The winner’s prize money goes to York.

The Maven free-for-all trot of €13,600 was decided out on the track. The man of-the-moment Franck Ouvrie of Paris came in for the catch drive on Denis O’Reilly’s Duc d’Arry (9/4 to 6/4)

The race as a contest was over early as the confident visitor let Duc d’Arry roll down by the river last time around for an emphatic length victory. Kenmare runner Fina Mix (Seamus Quill) was an honourable second.

Omeath trotter Ecrin de Grimault (Noel Ryan) was unlucky, finishing within hailing distance of the winner despite a couple of bad breaks. John Morgan’s gelding was disqualified for ‘more than 15 strides on the gallop’.

The winner was awarded the Liam Carlin Memorial Trophy. If you had told my late father that there would be a €100,000 meeting in West Cork with French drivers on the card, he’d have given you some funny look.

Coleraine to Clonakilty

Elsewhere on the card, Coleraine trainer Lawrence Stewart had a bonanza when Sweet Caroline, owned by a Dublin syndicate won both a grade F pace and the Astra Construction Four-Year-Old Grass Championship.

The trip from Coleraine to Clonakilty is about as far as you can go in Ireland and Lawerence told compere Tim Kelleher the journey took seven and a half hours. The two wins made the mileage seem shorter.

Sweet Caroline was driven in both races by usual partner Jonny Cowden. If the IHRA ran a ‘drive of the year’ award Jonny would probably win with his drive in the four-year-olds (race 17 on the IHRA Facebook page) and take runner-up for his drive in the grade F pace (race 3 of the replays) both were great examples of a waiting tactic.

All the races can be viewed free of charge on the aforementioned page.

The Sweet Lou filly – coincidentally out of Blissful Beauty who also raced out of the Triangle region - has improved under Lawrence’s tutelage and he deserves credit.

Flying Franck

Fifty-two-year-old French driver Franck Ouvrie farmed the place. He was leading driver over the two days with four wins. Ouvrie exuded confidence exactly as he did in 2022.

Just like the recently deceased Johnny Blisset, he rarely moves his hands, and the results are plain for all to see.

Franck kicked off by guiding the stylish Isora de Source to win a leg of the Irish – French challenge. He beat local driver Patrick Hill (Hallow Way Road) into second. The Hills soon forgave Franck as he came out two races later and won the other leg with the family’s Brutenor.

Fellow Gaul Erno Szirmay was second on Adam Caffrey’s quirky Helios de Lara. Tim Kelleher described Brutenor in the post-race interview as ‘’the horse who keeps on giving”.

Franck seems to have an uncanny knack for getting horses away from the gate (l’autostart, as they call it at Vincennes) sharply. He was leading on the first bend even though Brutenor was drawn 8.

He also blitzed Humour de Cosse (drawn 1) away from the mobile and the result was never in doubt in heat one of the trotting competition. The Hills will offer M. Ouvrie more drives in 2024.

Old rivalry

‘Wales versus France’ is a match more associated with the Millenium Stadium on an overcast February Sunday but the old rivalry played out on the trotting track at the RJM.

The Welsh Dragon was flying above the Cockerel of France as Tregaron-based reinsman Mike Evans beat various locals and also Franck Ouvrie and Matthew Varin in the E to F grade trot.

Evans drove Allan Davies’ Hermani d’Orient. “The hospitality shown by the Murphys and the O’ Mahonys was fantastic,” Mike told The Irish Field, “the Welsh will definitely be back.”

Another Welsh raider Garry O’Grady was narrowly denied in a heat of the pacing competition as Jamie Hurley produced Oakwood Maestro on the line to chin the visitor. As Garry is originally from Sligo and his horse Cheeky Devil is by Christy Dunne’s Doonbeg, it’s hard to see them as visitors.

One winner

The Murphys looked like they might have a big meeting when Donal drove Streams of Whiskey (by Connors Dragon) to win the opener, a lowly grade G pace. Alas on a competitive day, even Munster’s top yard had to make do with one winner.

The Roches rarely leave Cork without a winner. The good-looking Devoir Math had an easy win in the E to F trot, while Jezzabella Greggane was made to work for it in a match with Just Look At Me (Jonny Cowden).

Also on the card, Sweet Jeff rounded off his season with a convincing win in the three-year-old grass championship for driver John Richardson and owner Jack Manning of Limerick.

A bit like a certain flat trainer when John says, “he’s had a lovely introduction to racing, he can race in front or from behind. He can handle a hard track or a grass track. He’s a nice horse for next year,” then we could be looking at the next superstar.

On the undercard, Jamie Hurley landed a touch for loyal owner Paddy Carberry of Crossmaglen when Foxfield Kendal won a grade G pace. Mark Kane guided Ladyford Express to win the Lisavaird Co-op Pace from a tough draw. Mark’s brother Patrick drove the well backed Stateside Deuce to take the grade E pace.

Reports from the betting ring would suggest that over the meeting the punters managed to beat the old enemy.

* Free-for-all - Top grade race, all off the same mark.

THE Red John Meeting was mentioned in Tuesday’s edition of Paris -Turf. Franck Ouvrie said: “I’ve been taking part in the challenge for a few years and I see a real evolution in Irish racing.”

Franck went on to say that although he came in for some ‘catch drives’ such last-minute changes would not be allowed in France.

The French delegation included Monsieur Jacques Frappat, President of l’Hippodrome d’Argentan, where the annual French vs. Irish challenge is held in November. Marianne Simonnot of Le TROT was also in attendance.

The visiting drivers were Franck Ouvrie (1,433 lifetime wins - 1,437 by Sunday night), Stephane Meunier (292) Erno Szirmay (293) and Matthew Varin (62).

Eilish Murphy, wife of leading driver Donal, catered for the French party.

Stephane Meunier told The Irish Field: “I was impressed with the professionalism of the officials managing 20 races in one day.” Landowner Ger Heggarty had the place immaculate as always.

In the training ranks there were eight winners from Dublin, six from Cork, two apiece from Longford and Northern Ireland, and one each from Wales and England.

On the track Franck Ouvrie (four winners) was mesmerising. John Richardson drove a treble. Billy Roche, Ronan Norton, Jamie Hurley, Jonny Cowden all scored doubles.

Just shy of €100,000 was the prize fund, a figure mistakenly under reported in this column last week.

Bradfield’s Caterers served local cod ‘à la Barney’ as only they can. Oisin Quill celebrated his 21st birthday in Casey’s of Clonakilty where old Kerry/Dublin rivalries were left at the door.

Planning permission has recently been granted for a hard track with stables and amenities at the site and the French party were keen to see progress in this aspect.