THE exploits of owner/trainer/driver Shane Howard and President are one big feel-good story for harness racing.
Howard, a carpenter from Ballymun, bought the teak tough six-year-old out of the leading Roche stable in the closed season of 2014. It was fair to say President hadn’t shone in the larger yard. As so often happens, a bit of personal attention worked wonders. The son of Kikiklot reeled off seven wins (and the Horse of the Year title) in 2015.
They were at it again last Sunday, running out a convincing victor over a former Musselburgh champion (Meadowbranch Romeo) and a mile and a quarter record holder (Tarawood Messi). “I do everything with him myself,” beamed winning driver Howard in the paddock afterwards.
Last season’s Trotter of the Year, Vichy De Moem (Alan Richardson) seems better than ever. Fresh from a facile win at Dundalk, Vichy trotted up the back straight first time round like the rest of them were stopped.
A time of 2.04.7 was a sharp clock on a day when the track had to be at least three seconds slow. Griffin and Wallace’s Vallanzana put in a big run to be second.
The Painted Mile is a special race put on for the lovers of coloured standardbreds. All the runners obviously have papers and are pure-bred. The colouring is thought by many to trace to Australia in the 1800s, down through a mare named Mapou to Snowtime who raced in Britain in the 1960s.
Whether you are a fan of the piebalds and skewbalds or not, there is no denying that the owners love their racing. Clive Cullen of P and E Boarding Kennels was the main sponsor.
There were three ‘coloured’ races. A match for the three-year-olds saw Tyrone beat the Dubs as Cappagh-based Indians Chance (Simon Duggan) outclassed Billy Roche’s Storm Lilly - the latter a little rough gaited.
The lower grade threw up great sport as John Manning, of Limerick, gave an energetic drive to Get Rockin and saw off the English challenger Phantom (Phil O’Neill), with Flying Eagle (Billy Roche) in third. The winner had to survive a stewards’ enquiry. It would have been a travesty to see Get Rockin rubbed out, as it was a really game performance.
Craig Nuttall of Durham has never been scared to take on the Irish in their own backyard. The accomplished horseman, forever associated with the bay Connors Dragon, was rewarded for his long trek when Massoud, a six-year-old by JWs Best, took the feature event. Local hero Cinderella Man was second on a day of upsets in the betting market.
In the opener, John Richardson (JR) got his customary winner with the mare Beach De Bellouet. Patrick Kane jr caught the rest napping with On Top Jeremys Jet in the G grade handicap.
The winner might be a late developer, even though he is not overly big. In the C to E French Trot, Joseph Caffrey made it two-from-two for Sunshine Meadows - he looks to have another nice type on his hands.
The ‘top’ is even more of an advantage on a mucky day. Buster Gilligan knows this and he blazed the way aboard the pacer Fantastic Fella and then made it a double 25 minutes later with the trotter Beeper (the children at the meeting love that name).
In the eighth race, Daves Alibi (Noely Ryan) was another all the way winner on a day when front runners dominated.
MUSSELBURGH
The Musselburgh meeting held on the ‘proper’ racecourse next weekend remains the pinnacle in UK harness racing. The entries show a strong hand for the Flanagan, Wallace and Roche stables.
Hopefully, in two week’s time you will read here about the ninth Irish-based winner of the grand final since John Nixon’s The Lucky One made the breakthrough in 1985.
RESULTS JUNE 19TH
R1 trot 1 mile: 1. Beach De Belluet/J. Richardson, 2. Saxo De Marancourt/S. Sane, 3. Tombee Du Ciel/A Wallace snr. Time: 3.06.9 Dist: 1/2L; 5L
R2 Painted Mile low grade pace 1 mile: 1. Get Rockin/J. Manning, 2. Phantom /O’Neill, 3. Flying Eagle/B. Roche. Time: 2.10.4 Dist: 1/2L; 3L
R3 Painted Mile 3yo 1 mile pace: 1. Indians Chance/S. Duggan, 2. Storm Lilly/B. Roche, Time: 2.11.6 Dist: 7L
R4 pace 1 mile: 1. Ontop Jeremys Jet/P. Kane jnr, 2. Saunders Cameron /L. Kelly, 3. Springhill Catch/S. Kane. Time: 2.06.5 Dist: 1/2L; 3L
R5 trot 1 mile: 1 Sunshine Meadow/J. Caffrey, 2 Rohan Des Thirons/P. Kane jnr, 3 Balarou Des Iles/A. Wallace snr. Time: 2.07.8 Dist: 1L; 1L
R6 pace 1 mile: 1. Fantastic Fella/B. Gilligan, 2. Gadgie Pan/J. Manning, 3. Meadowbranch Millie/J. Richardson, Time: 2.06.3 Dist: 1L; 4L
R7 trot 1.5 mile clockwise: 1. Beeper/P.Gilligan, 2. Vivement Dimanche /B.Roche, 3. Bipaul Manettot /P. Kane jnr. Time: 3.14.0 Dist: 6L; 4L
R8 pace 1 mile: 1. Dave’s Alibi /N. Ryan, 2. Welford Beach /P.Morgan, 3. Shesgotanattitude/J. Richardson Time: 2.03.0 Dist: 5L; 2L
R9 Painted Mile high grade pace 1 mile: 1. Massoud/C.Nuttall, 2. Cinderella Man/B. Roche, 3. TJB /R. Taylor. Time: 2.06.9 Dist: 1L; 3L
R10 pace 1 mile: 1. President/S Howard, 2. Meadowbranch Romeo/J. Richardson, 3.Tarawood Messi/J. Dunne. Time: 2.03.1
R11 trot 1 mile: 1. Vichy De Moem/A Richardson, 2. Vallanzana/A.Wallace snr. 3. Romalus Augenaies/J.Caffrey. Time: 2.04.7 Dist: 8L; 10L