Annaghmore Sunday
HARRY Knows was yet again the star of the show at Annaghmore last Sunday. Paddy Kane’s eight-year-old made light of a 90-yard handicap and trounced a field of decent trotters.
The pride of Summerhill filled this page in the past with his exploits in America, Belgium, Holland and Sweden.
The fixture saw a healthy increase of entries compared to the opening week. Meeting number two of the northern region saw wins by three French Trotters on their Irish debuts and victories by big names from last season, namely Harry Knows and Always B Puffin, now a five-year-old.
Replays can be watched on the Irish Harness Racing Association You Tube channel. The fourth race on the card, a Grade A5 to Grade D trot makes interesting viewing. Normally when a horse is trailing 90 yards, it takes a backmarker until the final quarter to make up the distance.
On this day, the well-travelled Irish-bred was on the bit early. Patrick Kane Jnr saw no sense in fighting the horse and just let him trot. The result? Harry Knows pulled his way to the front with a mile to go and won by five lengths.
Opened his account
The ease of the win made the evens briefly offered by one layer seem a huge price. He is set to trail 100 yards tomorrow and who would bet against him in that sort of form? The redoubtable Extrem Ryld was a steady second for Adam Corey.
Adam had earlier opened his account for 2025 when Isba Quick (7/2 best) moved on early to beat Fandango De Nile (Eoin Murphy for Jamie Hurley) and Ilador (Tiana Mullan) in a lively betting heat. Helska Du Fetu (Christian Joyce) also had her backers. The race pulled up in 2.34.1 for a mile and a quarter.
“We only got her in the recent batch of French horses that came in,” said father of the winning driver, Kevin Corey. “She has a nice bit of size about her and has been a pleasant surprise.”
Two runners bred by the Merle family of France turned up in the Grade F trot and both adapted well to this tighter track.
In the event, Kirio Scott (Martin Loughran) ran out the winner over Kerion Scott (Ronan Norton) in a time of 2.40. The Loughrans will make hay, as Kirio Scott is in a nice lowly grade and they are shrewd placers of a horse.
Another newcomer won the E to D Grade trot with John Richardson, who is anything but new.
Kermesse Du Crocq looked to be on song in the warm-up. Those who availed of the 2/1 on offer had a bit of a sweat as the six-year-old mare did make a brief skip, but once JR got her back down, she won cosily from Kepi De Chrismi (Mark Kane). John told The Irish Field: “Today was the first time we brought her to a proper track. We got her ready at our own little track and took her to the beach once. She is a nice straightforward mare. Martin (Loughran) raced me to the first turn which didn’t help her, but once I got her settled, she was grand. I might change a few things as we go along.”
This column hyped up the rivalry between the Roche’s Always B Puffin and the Kane’s Angelsey Hall, both five-year-old mares, in last week’s report.
They met on Sunday and both could be backed at 5/4. However, the head-to-head did not materalise as Angelsey Hall’s run petered out a bit. In the straight, it was the Murphy-owned Kane second string Bequest (Mark Kane) who gave Always B Puffin most to do.
Always B Puffin from Bequest and Benny Camden was the ‘official’. The winner should be followed. The 2.01.5 in the second week of the season is good shooting.
Racing continues today at Annaghmore, while Lyre (near Clonakilty) will race tomorrow. Check out www.irishharnessracing.com for more information.
Dunmanway Sunday
Tim Kelleher
STREAMS Of Whiskey gave owner John Boyle from Doneraile a perfect 82nd birthday present when landing the top-grade pace at Dunmanway on Saturday.
Robbie Maguire, a grandson of the winning owner, waited with Streams Of Whiskey allowing Christy Brown to lead for the opening lap then hit the front and was always comfortable in front. The combination stayed on well to beat IB Paddington by a length and a half.
“I train two horses and I use a sand gallop up in Walsh’s yard in Doneraile, which is over the road from my base so I jog them over and back. It’s uphill and it seems to give them more staying power,” Boyle stated after the win.
Jamie Hurley from Reenascreena followed up on last week’s treble at Harbour View with two more winners this afternoon. The double makes him early season leading driver nationally.
Graal Du Dollar, owned by John O’Sullivan from Goleen, was imperious in his victory in the top-grade trot. Duc d’Arry led the field of six for the opening lap and a half.
All the while, Hurley eased Graal Du Dollar into the contest from his 40 yards handicap. They took up the running after the road crossing and never looked in danger eventually leading home Duc d’Arry by two and a half lengths.
Initiated a double
Hurley had earlier in the day initiated his double with Down By Crecora in the opening Grade G and G1 Pace. Totally Reilly led for the opening lap but Down By Crecora was businesslike when hitting pole position and this time was five lengths too good for Totally Reilly.
The four-year-old son of Down By The Seaside had a successful three-year-old season and looks fairly decent.
Comete Des Landes was another to follow up on last week’s win at the beach. She landed the spoils in the Grade E Trot. The mare is trained at the IB Stables in Baltimore and was driven by retained driver Eoin Murphy.
Now a veteran, she appreciated the drop in the handicap. Thomond O’Mara’s mare ran her rivals ragged romping home by a nine-length margin.
The Quills from Kenmare picked up a win with another veteran in the shape of Destin De Larre. Irish Good Dream led for the opening circuit, but went off stride, allowing Destin De Larre to lead and Oisin Quill took his opportunity.
The Kerry runner held on by a length from the fast-finishing Hippie Sisu.