THE late-season fare at Portmarnock has traditionally been the most competitive racing of the year. The Black Horse Juvenile meeting held over Saturday and Sunday last did not disappoint.
On the track there was a smattering of English raiders, this always opens the betting up a bit. Happily, the raiders won three races. Rhyds Scoundrel in the two-year-old colts, and Curly Du Layon in a leg of the All-Ireland series, kept local fans happy.
A new compere was on the microphone, Peter Quirke who is well-known in eventing circles. Peter swapped table jumps and banks for head poles and 29 second opening quarters and threw himself into the new role with gusto.
He had clearly done his homework. Peter took the time to make the award-winning children feel important (see below).
Saturday
Day one of the meeting was poorly attended. Hopefully with all the uncertainty of Covid out of the way, the organisers can concentrate on getting the attendance up in 2022. Only five minutes from the Malahide Road, the venue has a massive population on its doorstep.
The few enthusiasts who did pay in on the day, saw John Richardson continue the almost perfect form of Immaculata and the same driver frustrated aboard Oakwood Starcam. Immaculata (1/3) beat the likeable Iron Paddy, who has ‘next year’ written all over him.
John chose to take the shortest way around on Oakwood Starcam but both Beat The Clock and North To Alaska traded blows on the outside. Meanwhile, Patrick Kane jnr had made a typically decisive move with Ladyford Dollar to lead from the get-go.
By the time Starcam got out it was too late, the Stewarts’ home-bred was gone for all money.
“His sire (For A Few Dollars More) is six years retired this week,” stated a delighted Carmel Stewart, who came back later in the day to make sure that The Irish Field carried that the win was the fastest time of the day (2.01.4).
JR had Bella d’Espana (6/4) lively away in the grade F trot, where he scored a pillar-to-post win. This time Destin De Larre got out of the ‘garden seat’ (the American term for tucked in behind the leader) a bit late and got second for Finbar Quill jnr.
Unchanged
Three wins for both JR and Patrick and doubles for Sean Kane and Jonny Cowden over the weekend meant that things are largely unchanged at the top of The Irish Field leading driver table. Unchanged, but congested.
Patrick’s day one double began when recent English imports Not Again won the maiden pace. The gelding came from Patrick’s in-laws the Bousfields of Appleby.
Patrick’s cousin Sean used Eureka d’Eronville’s gate speed to good effect and took the grade E trot from yet another Kane, Mark, who was on Epilobe de Bailly.
Alan Richardson has forged a good relationship with Stephen Mc Hugh’s Mooreside Captain (4/5 at the off) and the pair took the grade E pace from John Richardson and Meadowbranch Dynasty who needed a lot of coaxing.
The grade F pace was not a good advert for the Irish low grade pacing form. Zipcar One (4/5) has been struggling to get his head in front for owner Alan Davies and driver Andrew Cairns in Britain.
The six-year-old went away from Awesome Dude (Finbar Quill jnr) and Ayr Frankel (Buster Gilligan) like they were anchored to the ground. Tir Prince (Wales) and Corbie Wood (Scotland) finish for the year this weekend, and British owners could do worse than to have a crack in Dublin, on the basis of this result.
The concluding race of the day an All-Ireland Trot qualifier went to the vastly improved Celui La Laye and Jonny Cowden.
There are few finer sights at the moment than Jonny sitting full of running at the paddock bend. He invariably wins from that position. Omagh runner Coumbaya Wind (Cathal Kerrigan) was runner-up.
Sunday
Day two opened to a mild autumn afternoon and a better crowd. Black Horse Supplements of Finland were the key sponsors and got plenty of mentions on the public address system.
The card was well ordered with excitement building to a free-for-all in race eight and the climax of the two-year-old colts’ as race nine.
We shall deal with the top races first. The ageless Fairdays Western (11, though he doesn’t realise it) yet again made light of younger, high-profile horses, with a 1.58.3 all-the-way victory for usual partner Jonny Cowden and owners the Coreys. The son of the Preacher Pan is a real autumn type. The race was a free-for-all in the All-Ireland series. He was backed in from 5/2.
The English were cheering after the fillies’ two-year-old division so it was left to Rhyds Scoundrel and Patrick Kane jnr to uphold local honour in the colts’ race.
Toiling
Like a shot out of a gun, the Trim-trained gelding left Coalford By The Sea and Sweet Rock toiling in his wake. He will surely be winter favourite for the English and Irish Derbies in 2022.
Some international harness racing associations have banned the whip entirely, while some, like Ireland have laid down careful guidelines. Joe Maw, Gavin Murdock and Patrick Kane wouldn’t have cared on Sunday as Coalford Sweet Lou, Gypsy Queen and Rhyds Scoundrel did not need so much as a tap.
Joe Maw (from Sunderland) won the Black Horse two-year-old fillies’ final, beating the best of the Irish, Sweet Sunset (Gavin Murdock) pretty convincingly, six lengths being the official margin.
Offaly breeder Derek Delany was in attendance and must be pleased at his decision to bring in straws from Sweet Lou (p, 1:47 f, $3,479,000). Indeed, the result fairly franks the form of Louisiana, owned by the Gilvears of Scotland who beat Coalford Sweet Lou by six lengths in the BHRC Futurity.
Gavin Murdock and owner Clive Richardson gained quick compensation for the defeat of Sweet Sunset when the favourite The Gypsy Queen (Foreclosure – Cannae Diamond) won the three-year-old version with ease as already referred to.
Clive deserves any wins that come his way as he and family do much to provide racing at his Annaghmore venue.
The Cooley Magician, Martin Loughran, has cleverly aimed Curly du Layon at all the big trotting races in 2020 and 2021. Winner of the All-Ireland last year, the nine-year-old has a big chance in November’s final.
On the day, he dispatched the useful Murphy yardsticks Bibi Dairpet and Comete Des Landes.
The three-year-old Black Horse Pace saw the Cavan-based Churchview Frankel beat the English Derby winner Comfort Zone (Andrew Cairns for Alan Davies) and the sky seems to be the limit for the pacing Frankel.
Across the lesser races, I Am Like Rocky managed to stay trotting in a pedestrian time of 2:23 for Sean Kane in a three-year-old trot.
With €2,300 for first and €1,400 for the second-placed Irelands Own which they also own, the Kanes will not care if the race went 2:03 or 2:23. It should also be pointed out that the entry fees for LeTROT three-year-old series are extremely steep.
Cold list
Donal Murphy has been on the cold list in recent weeks and will welcome a nice win with the pacer Royal Armbro who did not go off unsupported in the B to D pace.
“The racing finished down at home so we thought we’d give him to the Murphys to see how they got on,” said owner Chris O’Reilly from Drimoleague.
The time of 2:01 would suggest that the Murphys are getting on just fine, much to the bookies’ chagrin.
Dusty Jiel trots like a bottle of lemonade that could fizz up at any time. Yet John Richardson has the knack of managing the eight-year-old, he can use his speed when he needs to and also keep the horse settled.
The pair nearly came unstuck on Sunday when Dusty Jiel galloped for a good few yards. The stewards ruled that they did not exceed 15 strides. Dusty Jiel was not helped by Eliano Love (Anto Malone) who choked down after running too freely.
After all is said and done they pay out on the ‘official’ which reads Dusty Jiel from Epopee du Layon. The latter got the usual full-on drive from Erin Flanagan.
Results tended to favour the backers over the two-day affair.
Full results and all information can be seen on www.irishharnessracing.com.
The highlight of today’s meeting at Portmarnock will be The Painted Mile, a race confined to piebald and skewbald pacers. Bays, browns and chesnuts will be on display at Annaghmore, Co Armagh tomorrow.