A FLAVOUR of Euro 2016 came to Dundalk Stadium last Sunday where the harness racing included an Ireland v France drivers’ challenge.
The French ambassador to Ireland, Jean-Pierre Thébault, joined officials from Le Trot, the French governing authority of trotting, for a 10-race card.
As harness racing is huge in France, the Irish Harness Racing Association is keen to showcase the sport here, and this was the first of five fixtures scheduled for Dundalk throughout the summer; and a follow-on from a trial meeting last September.
What’s more, the organisation wants to strengthen further the links with the French.
Despite a number of counter-attractions, a good crowd turned up for a mixture of pace and trotting races, which were shown live in Australia.
Each of five pace races was over one mile, and carried a first prize of €700.
The trotting races were 440 yards further, and worth €1,600 to the winner.
The ring housed six layers, while the Tote offered win, place, forecast and tri-cast markets.
Three trotting races formed the drivers’ challenge, which featured some of the top riders from each country.
Most of the visiting contingent are from Normandy, and have vast experience. Both Jean-Francois Senet and Franck Ouvrie boast in excess of 800 wins.
However, home advantage proved crucial, the first two legs of the points-based competition going to Patrick Hill and Alan Richardson, before Sebastien Hardy marked his first visit to Ireland by taking the third heat. In the end, the hosts emerged victorious by 64 points to 60, a lucky omen, perhaps, for the other boys in green!
BUSY RING
Results went very much the way of punters, and bookmaker, Michael Rooney, reported a busy ring.
“Business is good. There are a few €500 bets around,” the Ardee man said at the halfway point.
“The standard of racing is very good, and there is definitely more business here than in Portmarnock, despite the Louth and Meath game being on, and racing in Downpatrick.”A regular at Portmarnock and Annaghmor in Co. Armagh, local man JP Sheelan is also an owner, and is looking forward to having a runner at the next Dundalk meeting in July.
“It’s a brilliant venue, first class, and there is no point having it empty. I would love to race here every week.”
Whether Dundalk becomes a regular fixture on the IHRA calendar remains to be seen, but Sunday’s action was well-received by the attendance, which included lots of families and children.
“We agreed to give harness racing five dates, which had to be passed by Horse Racing Ireland first,” explained Dundalk chief executive, Jim Martin. “Both sides will review the situation after those meetings.”
He stressed there are no concerns about harness racing affecting the polytrack surface, and pointed out Wolverhampton recently staged a two-day meeting.
Blackwell Hallstar landed one of the gambles, and his owner-trainer-rider, Gavin Murdoch from Belfast was pleased with conditions.
“The track is perfect. Up front is the place to be, for the pacers anyway.” He went on to complete a double on another hotpot, JMS Hallstar.
A second driver to record a brace was the aforementioned, Alan Richardson, who goes by the nickname of “Iceman” and has won races at the Meadowlands in New Jersey.
Racegoers were kept well-informed throughout the afternoon, except there was no public announcement of any Tote dividends. Away from the win betting, the other pools were quite small.
Every winner was cheered home with gusto, and the best finish of the lot came in the finale, when Fair Enough edged out dead-heaters, Swift Sunshine and Awesome Dude, for the prolific Alan Wallace Snr.