BILLY Roche, now 42, has been a constant at the top of the tree in Irish harness racing since his first tentative steps with Spitfire and Hometown Silverwings some twenty years ago. Billy started out as a groom in the Liam Wallace yard and nowadays rents a large barn at the Newtown Stud from the late Liam’s family.

Often referred to as ‘The Red Baron ‘the affable 6’ 3’’ horseman is lucky that a small build is not so crucial on the harness circuit as on the flat.