Portmarnock Sunday

ANOTHER ‘socially distanced’ meeting was held at Portmarnock on Sunday, November 1st. The day belonged to Billy Roche as ‘The Red Baron’ guided three winners to the deserted winners’ circle. Usually a Roche winner is greeted by a huge crowd, cousins, friends, second cousins and anybody who has ever passed by the yard. Alas, the numbers are well down although Billy’s father-in-law Joe Gannon still looked as proud as punch in the photos.

The treble opened when the angular Vaillant De Gueham (known as ‘Skinny’ in the stable) bounced back to form in the G to F grade trot. Kevin Rafferty’s Extrem Ryld ran well in second for Gavin Murdock.

Billy made it two in the clockwise trot, this time he was on Buliano. The Duggans from Galbally will be cursing their luck as Diablesse Jisce looked like she had stolen the race until she made a sudden break passing the stands last time around. Simon Duggan drove the black mare for Portadown man Derek Montgomery.

Finally Roche sealed the treble aboard a pacer, Panam Colt. This gelding has been a model of consistency once he got going in 2020. He is a typical Kikicolt with a sharp head and a smooth gait.

The race for The Irish Field silver salver for leading driver is starting to heat up. That particular award is for the national top driver across all tracks. As we enter the final weeks of the season the official IHRA standings have Billy Roche on 24 wins with John Richardson on 23 and Patrick Kane jnr on 20.

Billy was the last man to break JR’s long run of domination – can a new name go on the plate (instigated in 2017)?

The apprentice championship is better again with a three-way tussle at the top of their table. The young drivers’ have a points system 16 for a win, eight for a second, four for third, etc. With the final leg due on November 22nd, the standings are:

Apprentice championship totals:

Oisin Quill 54 points

Charlie Flanagan 46 points

Jonny Cowden 44 points

Eoin Murphy 33 points

The situation is compounded by the fact that Oisin and Charlie are a couple. If Oisin flies past Charlie at the clubhouse on November 22nd, his Christmas present might not be too flashy! Mathematically, Jonny Cowden can also win the apprentice title.

On Sunday last, another emerging talent, Luke Timlin from Fermanagh reminded the rest that he is no slouch with a ‘flat to the mat’ drive on Durandal Jihaime.

Luke and his father Darren seem to love the challenge of a quirky horse. Judging by the array of equipment the mare wears, she is a handful.

Sean Kane, older and more experienced than Luke also gave a ‘do or die’ type drive to Duccio in the A to D trot. Sean rushed to the quarter in 29.4 and kept going. Drives like this are good when it comes off, which it did.

Kane had to survive a stewards’ enquiry as he appeared to deviate from a straight line, but the result stood. Bibi Dairpet and Donal Murphy were the runners-up.

Duccio, a seven-year-old had been off the track for some weeks. No doubt Sean’s father Ger had adjusted some aspect of his rigging or his training routine. The win was a nice training and driving performance with a cheaply bought horse.

The younger Kane had to work for his money on Sunday as he also won the closer in another nip-and-tuck finish.

Prevailed

This time Sean, driving Boyardo, was on the outside and he just prevailed from JR who drove Emmeric Perreux. The stewards eventually demoted Richardson to third due to a transgression in the back straight.

Boyardo was a long-overdue winner for owner-trainer Joe Sheridan from Garristown. Joe and Marion have been a standing dish at Portmarnock since it opened, and all present were delighted to see the Springhill Stud collecting.

Oisin Quill was only third in the apprentice race but he made amends when he won the E to F pace with King Wills Arrival. “A gentleman of a horse” was the summary. The US import fits in well in Kenmare as father Finbar, Oisin and his two brothers are also “gentlemen”.

John Richardson pegged one back from Billy when he steered Meadowbranch Dynasty to win the G grade pace. The other three-year-old in the line-up Lord Sugar (Patrick Kane jnr) ran second.

A stronger card is anticipated tomorrow when the All-Ireland Series continues. No public will be admitted.

See www.portmarnockraceway.ie for information regarding live stream or delayed pictures.

THE prestigious Crock of Gold was held at Tir Prince, North Wales on Sunday. Miraculous, who holds the track record of 1.54 at Portmarnock came back to form with a win in 1.59.1 to go with his dead-heat in 2018 with Evenwood Son Of A Gun. The meeting had no Irish raiders with the pandemic situation.

Miraculous, a seven-year-old is owned and trained by Sally Teebon in Derbyshire. Patrick Kane jnr has driven the gelding many times but on Sunday his great friend Richard Haythornthwaite from Yorkshire was in the bike.

Of course, Miraculous won the 2015 Vincent Delaney Memorial in Dublin as well.

LeTROT

winter season

LeTROT launched the 2020/21 saison d’hiver (winter season) with typical French flair from an unattended Vincennes hospitality suite on Friday, October 30th. President M. Jean Pierre Barjon came across as a jovial character. He introduced M. Emmanuel de Rohan-Chabot from betting company ZE Turf and Mme. Florie Madruel of equine supplement supplier Reverdy as both companies are principal sponsors of the main race.

As usual there will be six high profile qualifiers for the ‘world championship of trotting’ as LeTROT see their flagship race. The qualifying races run from November to January. The Prix d’ Amerique itself will be on January 31st 2021.

The purse was €900,000 in 2020. The Prix d’Amerique usually consists of 18 runners, huge by Irish standards. The race was named just after World War I in honour of the US troops who fought to save France at that time.

Stiff competition

Last year’s winner Face Time Bourbon will be only six in January. He will face stiff competition from stable companion Davidson du Pont and Looking Superb who is trained by the all-conquering Jean Michel Bazire.

With close interaction between Ireland and France in trotting matters, there will be much interest in these shores.

Usually a strong contingent of Irish spectators travels, although with Covid this may change. The Irish Field will keep you abreast of news. In recent years, Ireland has been permitted a driver in the European Amateur Drivers Championship on the undercard.