EARLY harness racing posters used to proclaim ‘the thrills and spills of harness racing’. In 2024, the thrills and spills included:

Reviews of the year can, by their nature, sound like one long chronological list, so let’s take a look at some of the characters behind the headlines. A recent post-Christmas clear-out of my ‘archives’ (the opposite of a paperless office) uncovered the race programme from Ballymoney, Co Antrim on September 16th, 1967. It is heartening to see the racecard included Jimmy (uncle of Niall) Maguire, John Nixon himself, Sammy Lyttle (grandfather of Peter), Hughie and Barney Richardson and Brendan Murdock, now the elder statesman of the Murdock racing dynasty. All of the above had family on the track in 2023 or 2024.

This continuity, this grá for the game is how the sport will survive. Portmarnock and the leading Scottish track Corbie Wood both closed after 50 years. Freehold, New Jersey held its last meeting last Saturday after 171 years in existence. A bit like printed newspapers, harness racing is surviving against the odds.

Of course, any family that fails to use fresh blood will implode, so here’s a new year toast to the likes of Wayne McNevin of Rathcoole, Jim McAteer from Randalstown, Ronan Norton from Longford, the Duggans from Cappagh and so on, who proved in 2024 that you don’t have to have been around since the year dot in order to develop and win with a decent horse. As the late Roy Castle used to sing “dedication’s what you need”.

IN March, the IHRA announced that straws from the stallion Tattoo Artist (p1.47.1, $3.2 million in prize money) would be available under the ‘Invest in Ourselves’ scheme, whereby the service fees go towards prize money.

In December, the IHRA confirmed that monies would go to Tregaron (Wales), Musselburgh and Haughfield (both Scotland) for 2025 from this scheme.

Obviously, this source of revenue sponsors meetings such as the Irish-American weekend and the Richard Phelan Memorial on the home front.

Later in the year, the organisers confirmed that Perfect Sting (p1.48.1 $1.9 million in prize money) will also be part of this model.

IN April, this newspaper carried a progress report on eight or 10 Irish-bred pacers that had won in America.

This trend only gathered strength in the ‘fall’ as Shesnoaprilfool, Oakwood Hey Miki, Ladyford Dollar, Sweet Caroline and Oakwood Paddy continued to visit the winners’ circle.

On the human front, ‘Irish Joe’ Hanney is back racing after a serious accident while handling a horse.

Seamus Quill from Kenmare has driven several winners, including his father’s Feerie des Brouets. Ballydehob-born Robbie Cleary is turning out winner after winner. He has the knack of transferring UK and Irish pacers to the tough US regime. All these Irish successes can be viewed in ‘real time’ thanks to live streaming. God be with the days when we used to wait two or three weeks for American results in the old ‘Harness Horse’ magazine, which ceased to exist some years ago.

The Irish Field on April 13th mentioned eight Irish-bred winners in the USA. The breeders’ credits went to Oakwood Stud (five mentions), John Richardson, Neville Martin and David O’Sullivan of Churchview Stud, Charleville.

This is a good juncture to congratulate these and other breeders, who have steadily improved the Irish broodmare band.

JANUARY now means the annual pilgrimage to Paris for the Prix d’Amerique. Several of this country’s leading trainers and drivers are usually booted and suited in their best attire to see Messrs. Bazire, Nivard and Raffin covered with the unusual black dust of Vincennes, while the Irish visitors enjoy facilities to rival Leopardstown or Wolverhampton.

Late January is an odd time of the year to hold a feature race in Europe, and it often feels like the Paris trip is the final blow-out for Irish trainers before the serious work begins in advance of the local season, which usually opens late April. From a racing perspective, the 2024 Prix d’Amerique was won by Idao de Tillard from the Duvaldestin barn, who incidentally won a major prep race last weekend and will be fancied to make it a double later this month.

BY June, the proper racing reports were in full flow. Wayne McNevin’s Benny Camden, the Troy McAleer-driven Kenosha Comet, Jamie Hurley’s Graal du Dollar and Denis O’Reilly’s Duc d’Arry all picked up major pots.

Boyardo is a veteran horse, owned by a veteran horseman. Hopefully, neither the dependable chesnut nor Joe Sheridan will mind this reference to their age. Jonny Cowden got a great tune out of the 13-year-old all season long.

Churchview Meow won the two-year Diamond Creek Stud fillies’ division at the VDM in Wolverhampton. Owners John Roche, Paddy Carthy and Mylie Connors showed the international visitors how to party!

Ayroplane, at 1/5, won the Hanover Shoe Farms colts’ division for John Ball of London and the Kanes from Meath.

Drimoleague publican Derry McCarthy had a spectacular year as Stateside Lockdown won the Welsh Classic at Tregaron and Teddy Camden took out several top class paces in Ireland.

Track toughness

Immortal John proved once again that on a grass track toughness can sometimes beat speed, as he outstayed the more fancied runners to win the coveted Red John Memorial Pace. Owner Mark and driver Patrick Kane were great friends of said ‘Red John’, so a job well done.

On the same card, the ‘mobile tack shop’ Helios de Larra was a popular winner of the Maven Trot for his unassuming driver Joseph Caffrey. The various pieces of equipment would suggest that Helios is not an easy drive.

Patrick Kane jnr said: “Harry Knows seems to like being near home” and indeed the well-travelled home-bred put up some powerful performances, often from a trailing handicap into October. These days, there are very few British raiders at Irish trots. However, late in the season, the sporting Lane Dyer from Cardiff brought Messiah and Wicked to land an audacious double at Annaghmore’s Jackie Galway/Gerry Keenan meeting. By all accounts, the Welshmen helped the local economy in The Moy. Jay Matthews was the competent driver of these winners.

The December 7th edition made a respectful nod to the past, as we profiled the stallion Hurricane (1939 -1962), who was foaled in Scotland, but whose bloodlines have won in Britain, Ireland, New Zealand and America.

Irish colours

The final harness racing report of 2024 was focussed on the future, as Jonny Cowden and Charlie Flanagan, both only 26, carried the Irish colours with aplomb in Paris and Sicily respectively.

Jonny won a designated race for the leading drivers of French Trotters across eight countries. In doing so, he became the first Irishman since the great Charlie Mills in the 1960s to win at the hallowed ‘Hippodrome de Vincennes’.

Another Irish Charlie, who happens to be a lady driver (Charlie Flanagan) came third in the European Apprentice Championships on the Mediterranean island. There were three legs and Charlie’s horse was a late scratch in the first leg, which only serves to amplify her achievement.

The Coleraine stable of Walter and Carmel Stewart sent out a combined total of 15 winners across Sweet Caroline, Big Bets, Always Skye and Lets Get To It.

Tote licence

Away from the track, the IHRA are batting to obtain only the third Tote licence since the foundation of the state. The April presentation to the Oireacthas could lead to harness racing achieving the same self-funding model as France and Australia.

As mentioned in the introduction, Patrick Kane jnr won the silver salver and a cheque from The Irish Field for national leading driver 2024. Patrick drove 32 winners to Jonny Cowden’s 21.

Unfortunately, the IHRA did not publicise the leading pacer, trotter, two-year-old and three-year-old of the year.

From an informal scan of information, it would appear that Harry Knows (owner P Kane senior) and Lieutenant Dan (owned by Ger Kane and Jermiah O’Mahony) were joint trotter of the year. Ayroplane was two-year-old colt pacer of the year. Churchview Meow (trained by Billy Roche) was two-year-old filly pacer of the year.

Oakwood Mick (owned by Ruairi McNulty) was three-year-old colt pacer of the year. Fun In The Sun (owned by Bobby Barry) was three-year-old filly pacer of the year.

Personally, I believe EJ’s Dragoness (owned by Eugene Hanson) should earn ‘Most consistent mare of the year’. She will never be exported to the US, but she always runs her heart out for the Portrush man.

As ever, thanks and respect go to our volunteer stewards, who do so much to keep the show on the road.

Finally, from a press coverage point of view, thanks to Cork correspondent Tim ‘Cooper‘ Kelleher and Lydia Kelleher Shine and Chloe Nelson, both photographers at the tracks.

During 2024, the sport lost:

May they rest in peace.

Three things the sport did well:

1. The commentaries from James Griffin. Cool and accurate, notices when a horse not travelling well. David Sheehy in Cork never misses a beat.

2. The constant lobbying at Government level. The pressure is starting to pay off. Well-deserved for a sport, which has for too long depended on ‘whip rounds’ between its members.

3. Excellent replays on IHRA Facebook page. Full credit to cameramen in Annaghmore and Cork.

We can do better – areas of improvement:

1. The horses at Annaghmore only carry a number cloth on one side of their body. Very confusing for newcomers.

2. The current system for establishing non-runners and driver changes still isn’t working. Declaring your horse on arrival at every other track works for trotting and point-to-points.

(Some of the memorable quotes of 2024)