Dunmanway Monday

THE card that was originally planned for last Sunday was postponed to Monday due to an issue with ambulance cover.

The results would suggest that some of the hard luck stories from the beach at Inchydoney transformed into good luck stories with a more familiar underfoot surface.

Eoin Murphy has been lent Valanzana for the 2022 apprentice series and the tough mare won for the eighth year in a row on Irish soil.

Hallow Way Road made it two-for-two for Patrick Hill from Leap by taking the E to F trot from Fina Mix (Seamus Quill). If Hallow Way Road can trot round the Ballabuidhe field, he should have no trouble at Portmarnock.

Timmy Moloney’s good run of form continues and he would appear to have unearthed a nice sort in Churchview Kolt who beat the well-regarded Newtown Killlian in a three-runner maiden. Timmy made it a double on the night when Share A Smile took out the E to F pace. Share A Smile also won on the beach at Inchydoney.

Horses who have run well at Laytown often follow up next time out and Brywins Starship was another to win again following a win on the strand. Richard Kingston was in the bike for both wins. American Rebel (Luke Kelleher) was second and is a notable scalp to claim.

Fionn O’Reilly was only second to Valanzana with Empereur Souverain. The Drimoleague teenager went one better in the grade F pace when Cork stalwart Rhyds Panache saw off the Limerick runner Last Pan Standing (John Manning).

Comete des Landes did not seem to get though the ground at Inchydoney but put that experience behind her winning here at Dromleema Lawn. The win over that stout stayer Brutenor (Patrick Hill) is a nice confidence booster for the Murphys, coming up the Irish American weekend (June 3rd and 4th in Portmarnock).

Both Annaghmore and Cork are due to race tomorrow. Appleby in Cumbria hosts the first major meeting of the British calendar today and tomorrow.

The landowner Christopher ‘Kit’ Bousfield turns 100 this year and there will be an extra fixture in July to mark this milestone. Several Irish trained pacers are entered this weekend.

www.irishharnessracing.com carries full results, this weekend’s cards and start times etc.

Irvinestown home to another coup

IN the week preceding the Portmarnock card, well-known trotting owner Pat McDonogh of Irvinestown knocked the bookies for six at Towcester when he backed his greyhound The Bould Freddie to win a substantial sum in round one of the Star Sports English Greyhound Derby. The dog is trained by Pat Cronin.

Irvinestown is, of course, birthplace of the late, great Barney Curley, who will be looking down with relish.

Trotting or flat, Sheehy is on the ball

MEANWHILE, a reader was in touch to inform us that Skibbereen-based trainer and driver Kieran Sheehy (Bye Chance, Atas Crook, Vigo de Bassiere and others) was heavily involved in the breeding of Celtic Crown, winner of the €150,000 William Hill Emerald Mile Handicap on the Friday of Guineas weekend at the Curragh.

Kieran runs Robert Moran’s stud at Tralong where the daughter of Hallowed Crown was bred. In another fillip for the harness racing page, the successful jockey was Wayne Lordan who originally rode pacers for the IB Stables of Baltimore.