AS America is widely acknowledged as the birthplace of harness racing and still possesses the main sires and studs, the flow of standardbred stock is unsurprisingly outwards from the US to these shores. For a while in the ‘70s and ‘80s when York Raceway was in its heyday, there was an embryonic export industry for British-breds which could slot into North American racecards in lowly company and win decent money.

The Saddler (1.54) and Mystery Blaze (1.59) were two of the early successes. Mark (GB) was another horse who raced near Ashbourne before going to the US and colourful Scottish owner Bob Kennedy brought all his stock to Canada in the ‘80s including Billy Adios who though past his best still was a prolific winner at minor tracks.

Meadowbranch Gigolo, who raced out of Dublin, won $100,000 and the Swedish trotter Batalj Launcher went via Stockholm – Ballyboughal – Toronto to bank Can$537,000.

With the speed explosion after Niatross P, 1.49.1, in 1980, sub 1.50 horses became dime a dozen in America. Leading retailer of harness and promoter of the Breeders Crown David Wilson of Edinburgh also contends that breeding from generations of stallions that were less than top tier actually weakened UK bloodlines, and for various reasons the flood from Ireland and Britain became a trickle.

With all of that said, it makes it all the more exciting that three Irish produced pacers have been successful at America’s leading harness track, The Meadowlands.

Admittedly the horses concerned are essentially US-bred and were shipped to Ireland for breaking etc. But what the Murphys and Dunnes have achieved is not that different from what Aidan O’Brien does when he buys a Scat Daddy colt or filly and then, two years later, unleashes that fully fledged horse against the best that Bob Baffert and co. can muster.

TALE OF TWO FILLIES

Although from the same small island, the two Irish fillies come from very different backgrounds. Robyn Camden (GB) is owned by the Dublin-based All Out Syndicate and trained by Clive Kavanagh and the glitzy Dunne family at the Porterstown Stud in Kill, Kildare.

Reclamation may have been foaled in the US but she got her early schooling in rural Innisbeg Island near Baltimore. Ironically, the Dunnes of Dublin and the Murphys of West Cork have been friends for many years and it has been common for horses to switch from Kill to Baltimore and vice versa.

ROBYN CAMDEN

Robyn is British bred, but her breeder, Londoner Mick Welling, has invested heavily in buying top US mares for his Camden Stud, based in York.

The filly, who turned four on Tuesday, made £15,000 at the Camden Sale in 2016. She was registered as being trained by Christy Dunne although insiders say that Dubliner Clive Kavanagh nearly lived with the daughter of Arts Professor.

In two seasons of racing in Britain and Ireland, the plainly equipped filly (a lack of equipment can signify natural ability) looked unbeatable and in fact went to the US having won 12 from 12. She won first time out in North Wales, took the prestigious Vincent Delaney Stakes at two and the Breeders Crown at three and she has beaten older horses.

Robyn Camden beat Reclamation on these shores every time the pair met. However, some veteran judges thought that the wily Murphy brothers had left their filly a little bit undercooked on occasions.

RECLAMATION

The Irish Field has frequently referenced the good fortune of Donal Murphy and Finbar Quill (the good fortune of the entire Irish harness industry) when they bumped into Bill Donovan of Florida at the annual Harrisburg Sales in Pennsylvania.

Donovan (pictured below) can afford to shop bigger than most Irish owners thanks to a successful transport business and indeed a stable which seems to cover its costs.

Reclamation was purchased for $32,000 at the Lexington Sales in 2016. Donovan is the principal owner with Donal Murphy also holding some shares. She was temperamental to break and needed the company of a miniature pony to steady the nerves. She was second to Robyn Camden three times at two but could be excused as twice she made babyish breaks.

When Reclamation reached three the Murphys felt she was finally right. She ran second to Robyn Camden once again before her finest hour at Tregaron when she broke (again), seemingly losing all chance and yet still won well.

TOP TRAINERS

Both sets of connections felt that their filly had outgrown the Irish scene. Jonny Dunne who has experience in the US recommended Richard ‘Nifty’ Norman to train Robyn Camden.

David Miller known as ‘The Purple Jesus’ due to his racing colours has been the regular driver to date.

Reclamation went to the 200-strong string of trainer Ron Burke. Canadian Yannick Gingras, who drove Maven, winner of $2 million for Bill Donovan, has come in for the drive.

RECENT WEEKS

Since arriving in the US, Robyn Camden qualified impressively for driver Miller and has coincidentally come up against Reclamation twice in her competitive races so far. Both fillies had to give best to Catch An Ace on Friday December 21st, with Reclamation second and Robyn Camden third.

Reclamation managed to get her head in front on Friday December 28th, with Robyn in second.

Yannick Gingras told The Irish Field: “Reclamation is a lovely filly and if she keeps improving like this she could be a stakes filly.”

The ordinary races on this circuit go for $10,000, and if the fillies graduate into a better grade, $100,000 purses are not unusual.

REBEL ROUSER

Shipped alongside Reclamation was the now five-year-old gelding Rebel Rouser. True to his west Cork roots, Bill Donovan sent the horse to west Ballydehob-born Robbie Cleary who is now training full time in the US.

Although not as well thought of as Reclamation, Rebel Rouser has exceeded expectations by winning twice in recent weeks at The Big M, as the track is known.

“Rebel Rouser seems to love the big track (one-mile circuit) at The Meadowlands, and their superb surface,” commented Robbie Cleary.

Lowered

Rebel Rouser has now lowered his mark to 1.52.3, while Reclamation boasts a time of 1.51, with Robyn Camden only a fraction of a second behind her. Rebel Rouser won twice in December, Reclamation has won three since November, amd it’s surely only a matter of time before Robyn Camden gets a win or two.

The exploits of these recent exports have shortened the winter for harness racing fans in Ireland.

It is early days yet, but maybe the two mares will come home eventually with a potential new champion in utero and getting a free ride on the aeroplane.