BILL Donovan’s many friends and associates in Irish harness racing were genuinely pleased for the Florida native after last weekend’s ‘fall trot’ at The Red Mile in Lexington, Kentucky.

The son of Some Beach, Somewhere equalled his sires world record of 1.46.4 for a three-year-old pacer in a €70,000 division of the Bluegrass Stakes, worth $250,000 before the race was divided. The colt was driven by David Miller, known as ‘The Buckeye‘ due to his Ohio roots.

Bill is a frequent visitor to Ireland and the main sponsor of the Red John Memorial in Lyre. He has owned many top-class performers in the USA but is taking particular pleasure in this colt having raced his dam Road Bet.

Three weeks previously, Cattlewash was an unlucky second in the $400,000 Little Brown Jug from a bad draw. The race was watched anxiously by Baltimore, Co Cork trainer, Donal Murphy, who is usually at Bill Donovan’s shoulder at the Lexington yearling sales.