“THE race of the season,” was heard from even some of the toughest cynics at Portmarnock Raceway last Sunday as the judges perused the photo-finish to separate the first four home in the Paddy and Jason Kane Memorial last Sunday.
At the great trotting track in the sky, Jason Kane, taken from us so young, will be wearing that trademark boyish smile as his nephew ‘young’ Patrick and On Top Jeremys Jet held on by an official neck with first season driver Clive Kavanagh a gallant second with Porterstown Jimmy and the laid back Gregory Dean in third with Lucky Cam.
It really was a rugby scrum of a finish with about six of the nine finalists in with a chance at the three-quarter pole. Commentator John Roche blew hard afterwards.
Drivership won out, as Patrick Kane jnr, who always looks as if he is calmly leafing the Sunday papers, kept the game Lucky Cam parked (i.e. one out from the rail) for most of the trip. Even the tough grey Cool Night Ayr (off a tough handicap) gave his supporters a sweat for a few strides but, in the end, the son of Jeremys Jet had done enough.
Similar front running tactics helped Kane to the first leg of his treble with Silvano Bello for the Murphys of Baltimore. 1m 03, 1m 03 and 1m for the respective laps of the Portmarnock circuit tells readers all they need to know.
“Stack ‘em up and then sprint”, it how its known. Billy Roche and Urbano Des Selles tried valiantly to stay with the winner. Silvano Bello is well down in grade and in the end his class told.
The third leg of Patrick’s three-timer came with his father’s Secret De Star who was on the gate for a change. Smartly away, the 10-year-old never looked like being caught, although Best Of Burois (John Richardson) came on the scene late.
Early in the season John Richardson couldn’t even stand in the same field as a winner.
However, the mighty Meadowbranch outfit, combined with other horses he does at his own yard near The Ward, started firing around Tregaron time, and normal service was resumed.
MISTAKE
On Sunday, the chesnut mare Umbratica atoned for last week’s costly mistake, (or should I say faux pas?) when she beat another chesnut, Balzac De Villiars (Billy Roche). Then to the pacing gait and the Cowden’s journeyman racehorse Brywins Picasso provided winner number two. Cool Night Ayr lost nothing in defeat.
The fiery mare Shesgotanattitude made it a treble while Richardson’s highest graded horse at the moment, Bath Lane, took the Grade A Pace to give John a four-timer.
The Dungiven warrior Astounding gave Bath Lane all he wanted for a while and I suspect JR was relieved when eventually his sulky wheels drew clear of Astounding’s forelegs.
You don’t see a 57 secs first half every day. Astounding even rallied again in the straight.
The son of Artsiscape and regular pilot Kyle McSparran have won many admirers both here and at Annaghmore and it would be great to see them get a win before the season closes. The winning time was 1m 57.5.
Billy Roche and Valiant De Gueham justified favouritism in the opener, with Sean Kane and Valshe De Fourches the runner-up.
Readers from the thoroughbred world may be interested to know that, in France, all trotting foals in a given year, share the same alphabetical prefix with ‘V’ being 2009 foals, Names with ‘B’ are 2011 and so on. You may need to know this if shopping in the 2017 fresh intake. With €1,000 for a win and money right down the line, this emerging sport could be inexpensive fun for a horsey family.
One team who can certainly make it pay is that of Thomas and Alan Richardson. Their latest project, yet another chesnut, Velours Dore, made it two from two outings in the clockwise trot. Genetically, the trotteur francais breed seems to throw up more chesnuts than the pacers of American descent where bays and browns predominate.
Lucky Cam earned his place in the final with a well-timed run for Gregory Dean. Lucky is one of only two or three horses that the genial Belfastman has in work, he used to campaign a much bigger string years ago. Porterstown Jimmy (Clive Kavanagh) was a good second.
IB Cymru was a winning favourite for Ruari McNulty to the obvious delight of his mother Martina. Brywins Magician (Sean Kane) was second. The winning combination were lucky that a brief bit of close driving at the three-quarter pole did not force IB Cymru off his legs. Ruari’s supporters gave a hearty cheer as usual.
Brenda Hudson has had her best season for some time this year. Brenda has a natural empathy for horses. Her winner on Sunday, Scoops Team, wouldn’t be just everyone’s drive. I also believe the Derriaghy-born driver is still the only driver to have won on Rol d’Aviginere.
The favourite in this, Vichy De Moem (Alan Richardson) once more raced well, but even this formidable combination found 50 yards a hefty handicap. Joe Sheridan’s Vif Du Layon filled second.
SALES
Finally, another positive note for harness racing. The two main sales in the UK are usually held in the autumn. Crafty Cockney Mick Welling sends the biggest consignment to the York sale held at his own track at Green Hammerton.
The 2016 sale was held on Saturday, October 8th with the average price leaping from £2,828 to £5,042. A yearling son of first season sire Art Professor (p1m 47.4) made £21,000.
All eyes will now turn to Brightwells Sale in mid-Wales on October 24th where the famed Rhyds Stud usually offer some regally-bred young stock.
The top-priced yearlings are being bought with a tilt at the 2017 Vincent Delaney Stakes in mind. The prize fund for 2017 is advertised at €100,000.
RESULTS – Sunday, October 9th
Race 1: 1 Valiant De Gueham B Roche 2 Valse De Fourches S Kane 3 Simosa J Caffrey, Dist 1½l ½l Time 3.12.3
Race 2: 1 Umbratica J Richardson 2 Balzac De Villars B Roche 3 Viking Du Layon J Humphreys, Dist 2l 8l Time 3.06
Race 3: 1 Lucky Cam G Dean 2 Porterstown Jimmy C Kavanagh 3 On Top Jeremys Jet P Kane Jnr, Dist ½l ½l Time 2.01.3
Race 4: 1 Brywins Picasso J Richardson 2 Cool Night Ayr M Loughran 3 Meadowbranch Milli S Flanagan, Dist 6l 3l Time 1.57.6
Race 5: 1 Shesgotattitude J Richardson 2 President S Howard 3 The Governor B Roche, Dist Sh-hd, 1l Time 2.00.5
Race 6: 1 Velours Dore A Richardson 2 Soprano Gede S Kane 3 Bipaul Mannetout P Kane Jnr, Dist Nk 8l Time 3.09.1
Race 7: 1 Silvano Bello P Kane 2 Urbano Des Selles B Roche 3 Beach De Bellouet J Richardson, Dist ½l 10l Time 3.06.9
Race 8: 1 IB Cymru R McNulty 2 Brywins Magician S Kane 3 Newtown Major A Wallace Snr, Dist 7l 2l Time 1.59.4
Race 9: 1 Secret De Star P Kane Jnr 2 Best Of Burois J Richardson 3 Sire d’ Opac M Loughran, Dist ½l 4l Time 3.05.7
Race 10: 1 Bath Lane J Richardson 2 Astounding K McSparron 3 Camden Casanova N Ryan, Dist 1l 1l Time 1.57.5
Race 11: 1 Scoops Team B Hudson 2 Vif Du Layon M Loughran 3 Vichy De Moem A Richardson, Dist Hd 1l Time 3.04.3
Race 12: Paddy and Jason Kane Memorial: 1 On Top Jeremys Jet P Kane Jnr 2 Porterstown Jimmy C Kavanagh 3 Lucky Cam G Dean, Dist nk, Sh-hd Time 2.00.5