THE 12th renewal of the Vincent Delaney Memorial Festival at Dunstall Park last weekend saw the event continue to innovate and excite.

On the track, there were seven Irish- trained winners, and Grace Kelly won the Ladies Race with a Laidler-trained horse, Enigmatic.

Speaking of the Laidlers, the Durham-based husband-and-wife team harnessed 10 winners and five seconds from 21 races.

“Rocker and Alexis have always produced horses that stay, so the large track and looser surface played to their strengths,” said one seasoned follower.

“Winner’s circle of the weekend,” was probably a three-way dead-heat between the scenes for Grace Kelly (winning her mother’s race), Churchview Meow from the Roche stable and Ayroplane, a Kane/Ball enterprise.

Grace’s win in the Bernie Kelly Memorial Ladies Race was obviously emotional. The Delaney brothers who worked closely with Bernie held Grace aloft.

Grace had a lowly five lifetime winners in The Irish Field build-up questionnaire, contrasting with Lauren Tritton from Australia (750) or English driver Claire Bousfield (250). So much for following statistics!

Roche highlight

Churchview Meow’s 8/1 win in the Diamond Creek Two-Year-Old Fillies’ Final is the highlight of the racing career of driver and trainer Billy Roche and his brother John who heads up a four strong owners’ syndicate.

The mare’s groom John Paul Ó Ceallacháin and his son Jake were over the moon. “She’s a lovely filly, so easy on herself,” said the man in charge of day-to-day care.

The ‘Red Baron’ (Billy) praised all of his team who rallied round when he broke his back breaking a youngster.

Ayroplane (1/4 best) proved well named as he flew out of the gate and won the Hanover Shoe Farms Colts’ Final with contemptuous ease for driver Patrick Kane junior.

Ayroplane is jointly-owned by the archetypal Londoner Johnny Ball and Paddy Kane, as Dublin as a plate of coddle. Different backgrounds, of course, but united in the love of a good pacer.

Wayne McNevin’s RD Diamond Wash was a gallant third in the final, unfortunate to be born in the same year as Ayroplane.

David Loughnane and George Boughey and the rest may enjoy success at the flat racing venue but for sure their wins do not spark off pandemonium like the harness crowd.

Coalford Annabelle opened the meeting well for the visitors as she took out heat one of the two-year-old fillies’ championship, driven by Troy McAleer from St Margaret’s.

Neville Martin from Ederney and Christian Joyce of Ashbourne both pulled off fantastic training performances as Fun In The Sun and No Small Talk won at the highest level on seasonal debut.

Neville also provided the latest driving sensation, Jonny Cowden, with his biggest pot to date when Sweet Dreams (8/1) won the Oakwood Stud three-year-old fillies’ division under a crafty drive.

Benny Camden has been scooting around Annaghmore in 1.59 and 1.58 all year long and yet he and Newtown Jody struggled to keep up with the remarkable 12-year-old Evenwood Son Of A Gun (Rocker Laidler) who won The Meadowlands FFA Pace in 1.58.9 by thirteen lengths.

THE Delaneys as usual assembled a host of US and Australian dignitaries. Some of the VIPs such as Roger Huston (commentator) and Heather Wilder and Wendy Ross (live broadcast anchormen) had to sing for their supper. During the after-racing concert Heather Wilder showed herself to be a good ‘mixer’, joining Dublin folk singer Eddie Sherlock on stage.

The excellent live stream was slightly lost on those at the track but the questions from Heather and Wendy and the horsemen’s responses make interesting viewing on VDM Facebook page.

Three-time winning trainer of The Little Brown Jug and one of the most successful female trainers ever, Casie Coleman was constantly available for selfies and autographs.

Australian-based podcast Campbells Comments sent footage out on social media - check out his interview with a very humble and gracious Billy Roche.

On the ground, some of the paying public felt that all the fanfare delayed getting the races off somewhat. Also, there were some issues with the commentary at the track, although the sound was perfect to those watching at home.

Gavin Murdock’s horses ran well but he could only manage two seconds with Oakwood Mick and Delightful Beach.

On balance this was a successful harness racing meeting which prompts the question; “How do you better that?” And somewhere at a stud in Co Offaly a certain breeder and race promoter is already dreaming big for 2025.