THE Annaghmore meeting scheduled for Sunday, September 21st was cancelled at short notice as a mark of respect for Joanne Richardson, who passed away, the wife of track owner and IHRA director Clive. The sympathy of everyone in the Irish harness scene goes to the family.
In the meantime, several Irish runners had always been intended for the prestigious Crock Of Gold meeting on Saturday, September 20th at Adam Williams’ superb Tir Prince Raceway at Rhyl, North Wales. The unexpected break on the Irish scene allows us to focus on some Irish successes.
Paddy Kane from Summerhill, Co Meath and John Ball jnr from Brentford, London have been a mini Mullins/Ricci powerhouse this season. The combination of higher-priced lots at the sales, thorough preparation at home and Patrick Kane jnr’s fingers in the hand-holds, means that the team were successful more often than not in 2025. The meeting opened with a rare reversal for the Ball outfit. Ayrodrome, arguably the best filly of her age in these islands, was beaten in the British Harness Racing Club Fillies’ Futurity.
She was parked out (caught on the outside) on a track which was sloppy due to biblical rain. The winner, Oakwood Dignity, had an Irish connection having been reared at the well-known Offaly nursery. Richard Haythornthwaite drove for owners R and J Stewart.
The Balls, Kanes and their US-based partner Joss Grabber got their chance to get their clothes wet in the very next race, the Colts’ Futurity when Dazzling Lou came back from a lay-off. The time of 2.10.5 would be a good eight seconds slower than the norm, which indicates how the track was.
Popular victory
To the Oaks over a mile and a half, and a popular victory for Churchview Meow owned by Roche, Gannon and Connors and driven by The Red Baron himself, Billy Roche. The Irish raider beat some nice fillies in 3.11.8 for 12 furlongs, good shooting in the conditions.
“It was great to win with Meow as she has been running second all year to my cousin’s filly Coalford Annabelle. I’m going to miss my other good mare Always B Puffing, who has been sold to Ron Burke in the US, I wish him the best of luck.”
The Kane juggernaut was back on the road in the following BHRC Derby. Ayroplane confirmed his superiority over his peers with an 18-length romp in 3.11.8. Oakwood Louis (Watson Harrop jnr) was runner-up. A handicap in early 2026 looks within Louis’ grasp.
A Ball stable spokesman confirmed that Ayroplane will race in Ireland and Britain in 2026, although given normal luck, an attempt at the bright lights of New York must be on the cards for the son of Stay Hungry.
Alexis Laidler trainer, and her husband William ‘Rocker’ Laidler had a double on the day. Dreamfair I Am won the STAGBI (Standardbred Association of Great Britain and Ireland) Mares’ race for Scottish owner James Patterson.
The McAleers from St Margarets ran two, Northern Pride and Larry Camden, in the feature, the Billy Williams Memorial Crock Of Gold, but both horses were allocated difficult post positions.
Rhyds Dude, owned by Jobie Randall and the original lippy Londoner, Johnny Foy won the coveted ‘Crock’, a beautiful trophy. “The win was our sixth Crock Of Gold - his next chapter is the USA,” said Alexis, immaculate, despite the storm.
With thanks to Les Smith for detailed results.
THE wonders of modern technology and the foresight and contacts of Derek Delaney mean that Irish breeders are, in theory, on an equal footing with their US counterparts as semen from Sweet Lou is available in Ireland.
Sweet Lou has sired the winners of $53 million and looks like he will become a breed-shaping sire like Adios and Meadow Skipper before him.
In years gone by, Irish and British breeders had to make do with injured but well-related stallions, such as Flight Messenger or Taurus Hanover, or to be lucky enough that your mare was in season while the like of Caliburn or Hail Columbia was here in transit to New Zealand.
The Sweet Lou project means that some Irish breeders have more than one with the ‘Sweet Lou blaze’ in their yard.
Novelty factor
The skewbald sensation Sweet Royalty is worth a lot of money for her novelty factor. Hannah Richardson recently posted some photos of a beautiful 2025 dark brown or black colt by Sweet Lou out of Kick Ass Katie.
As if to prove a point, Sweet Lou was on fire at last week’s Little Brown Jug (a quirky name for the summit for three-year-old pacers) in Delaware, Ohio. The $500,000 80th renewal of the classic was won by Louprint from the mighty Ron Burke stable, whose tentacles now embrace Ireland. Ronnie Wrenn jnr was in the bike with another Sweet Lou, Odds On Outlier as runner-up. The time was 1.49.6, a clock seldom mentioned in this column.
Rathcoole, Co Dublin owner and trainer Wayne McNevin was in the crowd. “Louprint didn’t even get out of second gear,” was how Wayne summed up the run.
The $1 Million Metro Final at Mohawk, Canada last weekend was won in 1.49.6 by Beau Jangles by Cattlewash, who was available in Ireland through the IHRA Invest In Ourselves Initiative. As a racehorse, Cattlewash was owned by Bill Donovan, who has many links here.
DEREK Delaney of Oakwood Stud, Offaly is nothing if not a trier. Recently, his Oakwood Stud became the first breeding operation from these islands to offer yearlings on an online US-based auction, namely Ongait Online Auction.
Six yearlings were offered with sales to Scotland and the UK. The feather in Delaney’s cap was the fact that Oakwood Camilla (f Pebble Beach - Carmel Camden) was sold to Greg Luther of the USA at $30,000.
Luther was also underbidder on Oakwood William, who was retained by the breeder at $23,000.
“We hope this sets a precedent and opens new doors for Irish and UK breeders in the US market.”
As mentioned in the Tir Prince report, Always B Puffing from the Billy Roche barn recently underwent her CEM quarantine at JFK airport. Montana, a four-year-old gelding by Always B Miki, will ship to the US shortly. Both horses were bought by Derek Delaney on behalf of the Ron Burke stable, a 200-horse outfit.
Irish and UK exports fit into a lower grade on arrival in the US and many of them cover purchase and flight costs. The current demand for Irish and British horses is a nice fillip for local owners, as the calendar for aged horses locally has very few races over the €2,000 purse.
On the downside, it makes it harder to fill cards at our marquee meetings.
2025 The Irish Field National Drivers’ Title
Driver Wins at Sept 24th (unofficial)
Patrick Kane jnr, Summerhill 21
Troy McAleer, St Margarets 19
Eoin Murphy, Baltimore 18
Jamie Hurley, Reenascreena 17
Michael O’ Mahony, Schull 13
Sean Kane, The Naul 12
Martin Loughran, Cooley 12
Jonny Cowden, Glengormley 12
Calvin Broughan, Cabra 10
Adam Corey, Glengormley 9
Billy Roche, Cloghran 9