Sunday

LIAM Wallace has been eulogised in this column as a driver, trainer, breeder, dealer and promoter of harness racing. The publicity for the Liam Wallace Memorial meeting mentioned ‘celebrating a life of devotion to harness racing’.

Fittingly, the feature event was won by IB Notorious, owned by Wayne McNevin who was heavily influenced by ‘The Governor’ as Liam was known.

Liam passed away in October 2021 following a short illness. Therefore, last weekend’s celebration was the inaugural event. He may have been a ruthless horse dealer but somehow the lovable rogue stayed popular and ‘The Governor’s Cup’ could become a major meeting alongside the Red John and the M50, etc.

The free-for-all (top grade) pace was won by Donal Murphy who picked up a catch drive when owner Wayne McNevin opted to drive IB A Magican. Donal drove IB Notorious to win €2,000 first prize plus the latest Cobra Sulky. The race went 2’03.2 on a track about four seconds slow due to miserable weather.

Murphy was involved in more ways than one as he and brother Tadhg breed the IB (Innis Beg) horses. Wayne McNevin now owns three of these West Cork reared pacers as he also bought IB Sweet Candy Girl who won the two-year-old fillies race on the undercard, driven by Wayne.

Shorter drive home

The 228-mile drive to Baltimore will have seemed shorter in the Murphy horsebox as Tadhg’s son Eoin also won the ‘Liam Wallace Next Generation Pace’ for C class drivers.

Donal showed how to set the fractions from the front while Eoin sat out the back on Anthony O’Donnell’s Meadowbranch Dynasty (5/4 to 1/2). Dynasty is probably the most improved horse of the season at IHRA venues.

There were eight races on Sunday and seven on Saturday so the summaries must be brief.

The Sunday card featured the finals of the Black Horse Supplements juvenile series. Unfortunately, these classic races have cut up badly this year. The sponsorship was set up with help from Pierce Dargan of Equi MediRecord, Kildare.

Black Horse are based in Finland and as part of the sponsorship deal the IHRA distribute the range of supplements to the various trainers at full retail price. Feedback on the products has been good.

Nearly €15,000 was up for grabs over four divisions. Hopefully Black Horse will stick with the concept as there are dozens of weanlings and yearlings on the ground by Cattlewash, Betting Line and Heston Blue Chip.

Straws from these stallions were made available at a special rate through the IHRA ‘Invest In Ourselves’ programme which owes much to the input of Florida-based, but Cork-bred Bill Donovan.

The two-year-old colts was a match wherein Ayr Balmoral (Gavin Murdock) beat the plucky little Ayr Harbour (Martin Loughran).

The three-year-old fillies went to John Richardson’s Shesnoaprilfool. Noel Ryan filled in for John Richardson all day as John was unwell.

The bout of illness could have a bearing on the outcome of the driver’s championship as current leader Patrick Kane jnr drove three winners over the weekend to no reply from JR.

Patrick started Sunday well as Jonathon Nixon’s genuine Brooklyn Trixie (5/2 best) strode out stylishly to take the grade E trot.

Patrick had little more than a steering job as Harry Knows (2/5 fav) continued his inexorable rise to A class with a facile win in a leg of the All-Ireland Trot.

Patrick drove an impressive winner on Saturday when Rhyds Eye Kandy by the recently deceased Hasty Hall won a low-grade pace in 2’04.2

Rhyds Salsa won the Dublin Plant Hire mares’ pace for driver Eoin Joyce. “She’s a big genuine mare and this was her stiffest test so far,” said a delighted Eoin.

Gareth Galway’s Stateside Cody (4/5 to 4/6) justified favouritism in the Grade F pace under Jonny Cowden.

Christy ‘Hopper’ Foran knows that the front is the place to be on a mucky day, and Ha’penny Chance (6/4 to 4/5) duly obliged for the veteran driver.

Joe Sheridan’s Boyardo won the clockwise trot driven by Troy McAleer. Buster Gilligan came after Troy with Gamba des Tithais but the good-looking chesnut was gone for all money.

‘’He’s a pet at home, the grandchildren train him,” stated Joe’s wife Marion. “That’s four or five he has won this year. Troy gave him a great drive.”

Appearance money

Sean Kane effectively received appearance money when Just In Time won the three-year-old trot. At the same time, the challenges of getting a young trotter balanced were exemplified when all three of the opposition galloped.

The Red Baron, Billy Roche has endured a lean spell by his lofty standards in recent weeks. Foxfield Ranger turned around Billy’s fortunes in the C to F pace.

Billy was in great form. “He’s owned by Matthew Carberry a good pal of mine. It’s just as well that I didn’t retire last week.”

A time of 2’02.6 was impressive in the conditions.

The season continues until mid-December. The last fixture of 2022 takes place at Annaghmore, Co Armagh tomorrow. All news and race cards can be seen at www.irishharnessracing.com.

DAVID Walsh passed away during the week following a massive heart attack.

In the tightly knit Portmarnock community he was known as ‘Dave the barman’ as he shared those duties in the busy clubhouse with Cathal O’Reilly.

Dave was only 54. He was involved in a real fun day when the committee staged a ‘Barman’s Challenge’ in 2017 when the two bar-tenders drove horses in a quarter mile race accompanied by Sean Kane and Billy Roche each in a two-seater training cart.

Sympathies are extended to the family.