BILLY Roche is consistently in the top six harness drivers nationally. In fact, he broke a long winning streak by his great adversary John Richardson in winning the title in 2015.

Billy is known as The Red Baron. His red colours are distinctive for sure and his lean 6’ 3” frame means that he is easily picked out by his many supporters.

Billy is a real self-made man. He served his time in the sport, like many others with Liam and Alan Wallace near Dublin Airport. When Billy branched out on his own, he raced a motley crew of hard-to-steer, hard-to-stop and sometimes hard-to-start types.

Success soon followed. Early winners were Home Boy and Hometown Silver Wings. Roche masterminded a spectacular coup with Porterstown Thierry at Musselburgh in 2005. SJ’s Wildcat and Love Excalibur showed his skills with a trotter.

The unassuming boss of the yard at Cloghran was in a mood to look forwards when contacted recently. Billy credits his father-in-law Joe Gannon as joint trainer.

Billy seems buoyed by his first Vincent Delaney win with Churchview Meow in 2024.

“My nephew John junior winning the Liam Wallace Future Stars series was a big moment as well. We are training John Boy up and he will hopefully get drives when I have two engaged this year.”

In fact, Billy overran our usual ‘five to follow’.

As information out of the Roche camp is about as frequent as an update from North Korea, we thought it best to let him keep pacing.

CHURCHVIEW MEOW

3yo f (Ire) Foreclosure – House of Dreams

Her win at Wolverhampton in the fillies’ VDM was the season highlight and probably our biggest thing so far.

My nephew John Boy gave her a great winter of care, and she’s all of 16hh. She’s nice to do, I can even set my young son Blake on the cart beside me. John Paul O’Ceallachàin is very sweet on her.

ALWAYS BE PUFFIN

4yo m (GB) Always B Miki - Hufflepuff

She has paced in 2.01. This is the family of Harrison Camden and Mikey Camden. She’s been unlucky and has some nice seconds and thirds to her name.

I still think there’s a big day in this mare. She isn’t blessed with gate speed so she needs a trip. I think a grass track will suit her, Musselburgh is on her agenda.

CHURCHVIEW SAKA

3yo g (Ire) Always B Miki - Kikis Girl

The dam was mare of the year. We thought a lot of him at two then we got a bit of vet work done. We laid him off to mature. He is owned by Joe Gannon, my brother John and father and son team of Karl and Daragh Mitchell.

CHURCHVIEW RUSTY

2yo g (Ire) Cattlewash – Scappa Hanover.

Another from David O’Sullivan’s fine nursery in Charleville. The dam was raced by Mick Lord and goes back to Shes A Fan, which is a nice page.

We’ve had him gelded. He can pace free-legged and ticks a lot of boxes. He would have a kick or a bite at you, though.

CHURCHVIEW FIRESTORM

2yo c (Ire) Light My Fire-Storm Lily

He is a piebald. His sire qualified in 1.58. He has a nice attitude. These coloured horses are worth good money with a few track wins, so I have to stick with him.

LITTLE SWEET

3yo f (Ire) Sweet Lou – Rocknroll Royalty.

She has been placed in good company. She ran a cracker behind Meow in the VDM. She is owned by William Barrow and I think he will knock some fun out of her.

OAKWOOD LIBERTY

2yo f (Ire) Sweet Lou – Oakwood Brooklyn

She belongs to Paddy McCarthy, Myles Connors and my nephew John Boy. She was £8,000 at York sales, they reinvested some of the prize money won by ‘Meow’. She’s big and strong, most of the Sweet Lous make the grade.

HOPE DE GUINETTE

7yo g (Fr) Opium – Tina de Guinette

He’s a hot and feisty customer. He needs a calming hood. We got him late in 2024. He is training nicely and definitely has speed. He’ll win races if I can keep the lid on him.

The Quill family from Kenmare with Fina Mix winner of the George Deane Memorial Trot \ Martin O Brien

FINBAR Quill and family have been successful on the track and in business. Finbar is based in Kerry, where his Quills of Kenmare knitwear and gift business has spread right up the Wild Atlantic Way to Galway and the Aran Islands.

Sons Seamus, Finbar junior and Oisin have all driven winners, while Diarmuid is connected with racing, but of motorbikes as opposed to trotters and pacers (Diarmuid imports clothing for motorcyclists).

Finbar junior is working in the mines of Australia. Seamus is attached to the Noel Daly stable in New Jersey and has driven winners, including Feerie des Brouets, owned at that stage by his father, before the urge to deal set in.

“Noel Daly won trainer of the year in his region for 2024, so I suppose it’s a good college for Seamus.”

Oisin is a busy farrier and one of Ireland’s most promising young drivers.

Any mention of the family must include Finbar’s wife Rose, taken by the scourge of cancer at the age of 53 in December 2024. Her warm personality is missed on the circuit and her family are a credit to Rose.

On a brighter note, Oisin and fiancée Charlie Flanagan (a frequent winning driver on these pages) are due to have a baby any day now.

Will the new addition line out in the blue of Dublin or the Kingdom colours? Watch this space.

“The highlight of last year was Fina Mix winning at the Irish American weekend at Lyre,” explains Finbar, “and Oakwood Dessie got a gentle start, but showed his ability in late season.”

Finbar also owns Oakwood Dessie and Oakwood Maggie.

Both are in the care of Tadhg Murphy at idyllic Innis Beg, near Baltimore.

IMMODESTO

6yo g (Fr) Soleil d’Enfer – Quonchertina

I was partners with Mark Flanagan then I bought him out. He is a smallish horse, but he won well for Oisin in the backend. His white nose and muzzle catch your eye.

We started him about a month ago and we are feeling our way. I try to have the horses done before the shops open every day.

DESTIN DE LARRE

12yo g (Fr) Saxo de Vandel – Last Action.

He’s just an old soldier. He has won five or six races every year that we’ve owned him. He’s a gent to train. I suppose we’ll retire him this year. He races well on the grass – so Cork suits him.

FINA MIX

10yo m (Fr) Full Account – Queen Mary Belle.

She is a real challenge to do, as she is prone to tying up.

We have her on a low protein diet and she has to live out all season long.

She is up into an A Grade these days, but on her day she’s as good as the rest of them.