SUNDAY marked the start of the largest harness racing festival in the world The Little Brown Jug Week at Delaware Ohio.
On this side of the Atlantic, one of the smallest harness racing meetings in the world took place at Annaghmore, Co Armagh.
Bettors Delight won the 2001 Jug but his son Kick Up The Dust couldn’t win £450 Grade F and E pace at the Armagh venue. Man of the moment Wayne McNevin took the race with IB A Magician.
Camden Kofi (Cathal Kerrigan) was sharp out of the gate in the event and even though there were only five runners Kick Up The Dust and John Richardson couldn’t find a good position.
By contrast, Wayne McNevin took the shortest route with IB A Magician, a horse who has improved markedly for the Lucan man. The time was respectable 2.01.9 and makes it six wins in recent weeks for horse and driver.
Richardson enjoyed a better passage in the opener. The straightforward Emmeric De Perreux got a lovely tow behind Éclair Du Limon and Patrick Kane junior who made the pace. Passing the farm on the final lap, JR asked Emmeric De Perreux to quicken and he won cosily enough.
The former Richardson inmate Alcazar Du Sienne has flourished up in Omeath. In the clockwise trot, Darren Timlin made plenty of use of Avenir Du Vauvert to get to the top despite a 30-yard trail.
The ‘Cooley Magician’ Martin Loughran was content to track the chesnut who goes without a head check. Martin send Alcazar Du Sienne on about his work at the three quarter pole to score.
Martin registered a double on the day. He came in for an unexpected catch drive on Star Du Fruitier in the top grade trot.
John Richardson excused himself from the drive as he aggravated his back injury when trying to roust Kick Up The Dust. With Gentleman Jim and Besame Mucho both short in the betting at Tir Prince, North Wales tonight one can see why JR would want to take care of himself.
In the event Loughran was seen at his gritty best. Star Du Fruitier may have gotten used to the more relaxed style of John Richardson and Noel Ryan, but for whatever reason when Loughran gave the 13-year-old mare a couple of smacks, she took off like a rocket. Uldiem Alfa (Sean Kane) stayed on well for second at a distance short of his best.
Favourite
There were only two paces on the card. In the higher grade edition, Walter Stewart’s Porterstown Courage was made favourite. Not for the first time, old Rhyds Boots (Tiernan Loughran) proved that he is no back number with a game pillar-to-post win. Courage was within striking distance at the half but was even run out of second by stable companion Master Plan, driven on this occasion by Patrick Kane junior. They went just over two minutes.
Trotting for ponies
“Le Pony” is a popular initiative in France. As the name implies, this is trotting for ponies and Le Trot place great emphasis on encouraging their youth. Over in Britain in recent seasons, pony races on a ‘proper’ harness card have become normal.
The IHRA have been planning a pony programme for some time. Somehow, for it was not well publicised, four smashing ponies turned up on Sunday.
The ponies came complete with features such as horseshoe buckle harness, blue kidney beaters (little decorations that adorn a horse’s back) and of course some determined young drivers.
The ponies had classic pony-sounding names. How’s this for a result?
1st: Mini Mo, Jayden Mullan
2nd: Blue Boy, Tianna Mullan
3rd: Silver, Michael Loughran
4th: Zo Zo, Ryan Og Lambe
Zo Zo put in a big run as his legs are 10 inches shorter than the other three runners.
Even the toughest trotting men gave the children a hearty round of applause. The feeling was unanimous that such pony races would bring new followers to harness racing.
Results can be viewed on www.irishharnessracing.com