IN sport nice guys don’t always win. However, at Portmarnock last Sunday the Gold division of the Le Trot series went to the universally popular Kane family from Naul, Co Dublin. Since the track re-opened some six years ago Ger Kane has been the archetypal backroom boy. Painting, nailing and mending all come the same to the hardworking Kane; he even made all the track’s number cloths.

The combination with son Sean seems to be working well nowadays. Ger modestly gives Sean a lot of the credit, and the stable has been enjoying its best ever year, even before Sunday’s touch. In The Irish Field close season profiles Sean spoke of how he has worked in harness racing in New Zealand, Sweden and France, all the time honing his skills. With the added help of the twins (Mary - now Gilligan - and Emma) and mum Antoinette, it’s no wonder the ‘Mooreside’ outfit is flying at the moment.

On the big day, Ella Lou Lou was talked up as the favourite and opened up at 7/4 in the ring. There was decent money for the Tyrone raider Elses Du Brocage (Simon Duggan), which meant that the Kane filly and indeed Liam Wallace’s El Tejar both took a walk in the market. In the event El Tejar picked a bad day to put in his worst performance of the season, but in contrast Ella Lou Lou powered out of the gate. The black filly kept going further and further clear, while unfortunately most of the chasing pack made breaks, some for a few strides, some prolonged.

The hitches and hops of the babies robbed the race of captivating spectator appeal. However, the sport is called ‘trotting’ for a reason and Ella Lou Lou has been probably been best of the ‘E’ generation all summer. The Kanes won’t mind that 23 lengths was the final margin.

With €15,000 to the winner and good money right down to the places the 2017 series has been the year that Irish harness racing has become a viable business for horsemen. Anto Malone’s strapping Epsom D’Occagnes kept on gamely for second and Efficacite (Martin Loughran for Billy Roche) picked up a hefty €3,300 for a third place finish.

“She was phenomenal, she could have done anything today,” was the post-race assessment from Sean Kane, who had his back well-slapped at this stage.

Madame Emmanuelle Morvillers, head of overseas development for Le Trot, was present. She told The Irish Field: “I can’t believe how far Ireland has come in three years of the programme. I am looking forward to seeing a series with Trotteurs Francais that were foaled in Ireland.” As there are already a good few healthy TF foals on the ground here, Mme Morviller’s wish will come round soon enough.

Ironically, the consolation final and the bronze final were better races than the silver and gold versions. In the consolation Michael Kelleher and Seamus Quill’s Extase Des Epines overcame his usual ropey start to wear down the pony-sized filly Emeraude De Marzy (B. Gilligan) who was a game second. As I understand it, Kelleher has retained part ownership of the gelding but handed over the training to the Quills. “I gave up on him, and they had bad luck with their other horse, so I just gave him to Seamus to do,” beamed Mikey in a good-natured way in the winner’s enclosure.

NICE PAY DAY

In the bronze division Billy Roche obtained a nice pay day for Sean Collins when Elvira Poterie took the honours. Etoile Quick was a staying-on second for Sean Kane.

Empereur Souverain was all the rage in the ring before the silver final as all the usual Murphy supporters waded in. In the race the jolly fluffed his lines twice at the start (there was a recall) and left the chesnut mare Else De Malac (A Wallace snr) clear. As the field passed Peter’s paddock for the last time the Meadowbranch runner Elsa De Rocha (John Richardson) got down to trot. The big mare was fighting out the finish with Epsom Des Corvees (M. Loughran) when she made a brief break on the line. It was a costly jump as it meant disqualification. Most observers thought that Epsom Des Corvees had held on anyway. The winner is the first runner on the track proper for the Maughans from Enniskillen.

RHYD’S PANACHE

There were also some trappy races outside the three-year-old series. In the top-grade trot Star De Fruitier went agonisingly close to Yke Starlake’s track record over a mile with the in-form Star De Fruitier, with two minutes flat, the time posted. The top grade pace went to Cork as Chris O’Reilly steered Rhyds Panache to beat Shes Got Attitude in JR’s back yard, as such.

John Richardson (JR) had better luck when Umbratica made light of all the bad talk about chesnut mares in the A to C grade trot. The tough Brutenor (P. Hill) was runner-up. The dependable Tornao Josselyn brought up a double for the Quills in the clockwise trot in a time of 3m 8.1secs. Silvano Bello (evens to 4/7) loves a frontline draw and took the D to E trot for Donal Murphy. Brasilia Match (S. Kane) put in her best round for some time in second place without really troubling the Baltimore runner.

The organisers have put together a Class C drivers’ challenge over the next month. Leg one went to The Governor with usual pilot Marcus McAleer.

‘Get out and get on’ would appear to have been Uncle Billy’s instructions. Useful yardstick Newtown Major (A. Caffrey) was second in a fraction under two minutes.

Martin Loughran loves the challenge of settling a puller and yet again he has worked the oracle with Varus Du Cormon.

Earlier in the season the chesnut looked more suited to a rodeo than a racetrack but on Sunday Loughran could have driven him with two silk threads. A four-length victory over Rocky Atout (J. Killeen) lightened the layers’ satchels.

Big money yearling Dragons Den has missed most of this season so the Meadowbranch team will be pleased that the US-bred took an insignificant little low grade pace. He’s certainly bred for better things.

ANNAGHMORE

THE northern outpost of the sport in Ireland, Annaghmore staged its penultimate meeting of the season on Saturday. The Kill based powerhouse of the Dunne/Portertstown firm generously sponsored the card to the tune of £6,000. The Stewart family from Coleraine supported the James Stewart Memorial and the feature was the Christopher Dunne Memorial Pace. The Annaghmore bookies also parted with some money, strange though it may seem.

The day turned into some sort of a Dunne benefit. There is no denying that trainer Geoff’s runners have been in fine form this season. Jonny Dunne reeled off a driving four-timer with Meadow Camden in the opener, Porterstown Road in his heat, Tarawood CJ in the consolation final and then finally Porterstown Road once more to take the prize named after his late brother.

The only disappointment for the Dunne yard was when Porterstown Chris dictated the pace in the Free For All but Kickass Katie, with old rival John Richardson, came round the son of Doonbeg and the two slugged it out wheel-to-wheel the whole way up the straight. At the line the mare held on by a half length.

JR enjoyed a double on the day as earlier Paddy Mannion’s Meadowbranch Ideal dispatched Ontop Jeremes Jet (P. Kane jnr) in an middling time of 2.02. I’m Impartial Too has some solid form in Wales and England and caused an upset when he came with a wet sail to nab the C/D grade heat on the line for Bernard Nicholson, only in his second full season as a driver.

CHAOTIC

There was a chaotic incident in heat two. Maximus Lad looked home and hosed on the last bend but seemed to take a bad step or hit a soft patch. Whatever the reason he shot Patrick Kane out of the bike. These type of crashes when the field is bunched up and the leader falls in front of them, can be very dangerous. Sure enough the runners fell like skittles with only two avoiding the melee. It looked worse than it was and as usual the experienced horsemen on hand weren’t long about catching the loose horses.

Veteran driver Billy Bassett lay for a long time having come off Westend Dancer. He was taken to hospital as soon as was practical. At the time of writing Billy was still hospitalised but is expected to make a full recovery, and currently has nasty facial cuts and bruises. The stewards called for a re-run which, staged after the fifth race, only featured three runners as fallers are not allowed to take part in a re-run. Meadowbranch Roman won the second attempt. Best wishes to Billy Bassett for a speedy recovery.

Another older driver, Tommy Beattie got off his own Night Skater and gave the drive to Martin Loughran. The Cooley man was seen to good effect as he crept into it with the filly, having only her fourth lifetime start. Night Skater raced a little green but still beat the well-bred New London Hanover (John Richardson) in a decent 2m 1.6secs. Belmont Stables sponsored this contest.

Two sons of Doonbeg fought out the Bookmakers G1 Pace with Foxfield Tom (A. McCoy) outgunning Derrybeg (S. Gallagher).

The final Annaghmore meeting of the season is on Saturday October 14th.

Full results can be seen on www.irishharnessracing.com