THE Irish American weekend at Portmarnock Raceway last weekend was a resounding success.

A healthy attendance was treated to some top class racing with several close finishes. Bernard Nicholson won the trotting final with Duca de l’Eau. Wayne McNevin won the pacing final with Benny Camden, a catch drive for Donal Murphy.

John Richardson has amassed six more winners since this newspaper last updated the drivers’ standings and some would say he has only lent the crown to Patrick Kane jnr.

Patrick ran up a treble over the weekend. The manner of Rhyds Scoundrel’s win would suggest that there are more victories to come, but three-year-olds can enjoy richer pickings in England.

The heats of the trot on Saturday could not have been more different. Heat one was as good a race as you will see anywhere with all eight trotters trotting like clockwork.

Eventually 4/1 shot Fair Play Briolais (Ronan Norton) lived up to his name and prevailed from Duca de l’Eau (Bernard Nicholson).

Coincidentally both Longford and Cavan are not harness racing strongholds, so it’s nice to see success for these counties.

For some inexplicable reason, the second division of LeTROT feature race was the opposite with both Biniou de Beuvron and Epsom des Corvees galloping and Eliano Love appearing to be hampered in some way. The runners finished strung out. The winner was Best Of Burois (6/1) owned by Ivan Swindle and driven by fellow Fermanagh man Luke Timlin (19).

Colombia d’Oysse stayed on dourly for second with John Richardson. The win had shades of a Willie Mullins ‘special’ as Best Of Burois has been off the track for two years.

The pacing heats on a big day are usually lively betting contests out at Portmarnock. Heat one saw Ladyford Dollar in a nice draw of ‘two’ on the gate pitched against the well-regarded Cash All from the Meadowbranch yard who was in the second line alongside IB A Magician.

Patrick Kane jnr, fresh from his Appleby win aboard another son of For A Few Dollars More (Ladyford Buck) got to set the fractions and held on by an official nose from the fast-finishing IB A Magician (Wayne McNevin) in 1’59.5.

Showtime Notorious (Derry McCarthy) ran a blinder for third and should be followed on the Cork circuit. Cash All ran no sort of race in fourth and scoped dirty. Heat two saw a win for the Treaty County as Llwyns Delight (4/1) with John Manning held off Benny Camden with Wayne McNevin. The time was identical to the other heat in 1’59.5.

Jubilant

“He’s the best to come out of Limerick for manys a year,” was the comment from a jubilant John.

In the standard races on the card Patrick Kane jnr drove Impress Moi to win the four-year-old trot for his cousin Sean. Gavin Murdock braved an injured ankle to win the D to F pace with Clive Richardson’s The Gypsy Queen.

Hallow Way Road continues to show maturity for Patrick Hill and he beat Patrick’s cousin Luke Kellher (Freedom Well) for €1,500 in the D to F trot.

The grade F pace turned out to be a battle between two small mares. Both the even money winner Meadowbranch Aurora (John Richardson) and the runner -up Newtown Alana (Leah McNevin) showed guts in the run to the line.

Day Two/Sunday

The 2022 Irish American Trot went to Duca de l’Eau (Bernard Nicholson for Wille John Cooke) but not before Feugeres Erem put in a tremendous run from far back in the field for Sean Kane. The runner-up does not like to be rushed out of the gate and always runs her race.

The 4/1 winner has a fifth at Vincennes (France’s premier track) on his card and had previously beaten the useful Brooklyn Trixie. Duca de l’Eau is owned by Wille John Cooke originally from Leap, who previously raced the decent pacer Rhyds Puzzle.

Wayne McNevin chose the wrong one in the pace final. However, Donal Murphy had previously trained Benny Camden and won a Red John Memorial with the slick-gaited gelding and was an able substitute. Wayne stayed with IB A Magician.

North To Alaska (Noel Ryan) ran the race of his life to take third and led for most of the way. Donal took the brave man’s route and got a lovely run up the inner to produce Benny Camden (5/2) in the final eighth. Beat The Clock (Jonny Cowden) stayed on for second. “He’s a super horse but hard to keep right,” was Donal’s comment. “All credit to the trainer,” he added modestly.

The meeting opened with a win for Trottin’ Joe Sheridan in the shape of the likeable chestnut Boyardo (5/4). Joe was working with ‘square goers’ long before the French influx. John Richardson was in the bike.

“We can do anything with him at home,” Jamie (Joe’s granddaughter) told compere Peter Quirke.

Unthinkable

The top grade four-year-old trot saw the unthinkable happen when Immaculata (1/3 in the ring) broke several times with JR. The race went to Iron Paddy, who rarely puts a foot wrong. Iron Paddy made it a double on the weekend for Ronan Norton.

Churchview Frankel confirmed last year’s superiority in his age division when he comfortably beat Stars And Stripes in the four-year-old pace. He instigated a double for Bernard Nicholson over the weekend.

Churchview Camelot is a full-brother to Churchview Frankel and he lived up to the breeding in taking out the maiden pace on his first official start. Alan Wallace jnr was in the sulky, and 5/2 to 5/4 was the business. There was money also for Porterstown Arron (Ciaran Morrison) but a break at the start put paid to their chances.

John Richardson was seen to good effect when he guided Coreo Fligny to win the grade F trot. The owner and trainer Aidan Caffrey can fall out of bed and onto the track as he lives at Peter’s Paddock.

Match race

Rhyds Scoundrel against Oakwood Paddy was a juicy match race as the three-year-old pace failed to attract any more runners. The layers and the backers struggled to separate the pair.

In the end, Rhyds Scoundrel won decisively in 1’58.4. Usual pilot Patrick Kane jnr was on Scoundrel while the McNultys used Alan Wallace senior as Gavin Murdock’s injury played up.

Billy Roche got a winner on the score sheet when Buliano (4/5 and evens) beat the Sean Kane driven Eureka d’Eronville in the grade D trot.

Action continues this weekend at Lyre today and Annaghmore tomorrow. Full results and start times are at www.irishharnessracing.com

Lyre is between Clonakilty and Dunmanway. Annaghmore Raceway is at Junction 13 M1.

IHRA National Leading Driver Award

Latest standings at June 8th

Driver Wins

John Richardson, Dublin 15

Billy Roche, Dublin 9

Patrick Kane jr, Trim 9

Sean Kane, The Naul 5

Oisin Quill, Kenmare 4