HARRY Knows’ domination of the trotting ranks continued at Annaghmore last Sunday, but for once he was upstaged for the headline story of the meeting by another winner. Pa Crawford’s Micky The Marcher threw up several journalist’s angles as he won a humble little late season maiden in a time of 2.07.2.

Micky The Marcher (5/2) was the first driving win of the year for the irrepressible Buster Gilligan, a great supporter of racing in the North and Cork. Buster told The Irish Field: “There’s a bit of a story with this fella. He was in trouble at birth; he couldn’t break out of the bag of waters. The vet thought he would die, or end up brain damaged, but he came through it.”

As if that is not enough of a tearjerker on its own, the three-year-old was bred by Buster’s friend Richard Phelan, who passed away at a young age. So, it’s a happy ending all round.

Colm Dempsey was home from Spain to see his Grace (evens) run second with Sean Kane, but Colm will not begrudge Buster’s day in the sun (thick mud actually, it teemed all day).

Sweet success

Pa Crawford was not in attendance, but his great friend Johhny Cross certainly was. The steady improvement of the skewbald sensation, Sweet Royalty, has been one of the stories of the season. The breeding of coloured pacers is a sport within a sport and unfortunately too many go to road racing, an aberration to this observer. Therefore, it’s nice to see a coloured mare proving her worth on the track proper. The rumour mill has it that Johhny has refused some hefty offers for his daughter of Sweet Lou.

On Sunday, trainer Bernard Nicholson had the mare tuned to perfection and Johhny opted to drive himself. Sweet Royalty has repeatedly drawn badly all season, so the ‘two hole’ was a welcome respite. The Limerick-owned mare pinged the gate and won hard held by 16 lengths.

Johhny knows what he has - “She is some mare, even compared to solid coloured mares” was his comment, and 2.02.2 on a track off by two or three seconds would back this up.

Cracker Mach earned his corn as usual for Gabriel McDonogh, although he was roundly beaten in second.

Harry Knows, as so often in recent weeks, got to the front with a lap to go and trotted away from some useful yardsticks. There was nothing remarkable about his facile victory. However, the sporting Kanes will shortly give readers another European adventure to follow (see accompanying article).

Extrem Ryld (Adam Corey) got to within six lengths, although Patrick eased off Harry in the home straight.

Other late season good news stories included a Meadowbranch double of sorts, where Charlie Flanagan steered Jalna Loulou (3/1) to win the C to D trot, while the firm’s top man John Richardson made it two from two with another mare Kermesse Du Crocq (3/1) in the E to F Grade.

The latter is part-owned by Welshman Alan Davies, who has been a great addition to the Irish scene.

Talking tactics

The rule of thumb is that on a dirty day you can’t beat being in the lead. Both horses and drivers don’t like the quarry dust hitting their faces. Patrick Kane junior skipped a race on the card due to stinging eyes. Therefore, Chelsie O’Driscoll from Drimoleague stuck doggedly to the rail from the ‘1’ position with Ayr Beach (4/1). Chelsie kept Coalford Henry H (Tiernan Loughran) parked out and still had enough gas in the tank to see off the favourite Always Skye, who was conceding 50 yards.

Chelsie intends to work in Australia this winter and can be rightly proud of this performance. Ciaran Morrison trains the winner at Major Corbett’s at Tyrella.

The theme of good guys winning continued on the day when Grande Galaxie gave Joe Sheridan his first win on the trotting gait for 2025. The jovial master of Springhill Stud won the nine-year-old mare in a fund-raising raffle organised by the IHRA. “She’s a nice find for €200,” explained Joe’s delighted granddaughter Jodie.

The Garristown-based winner was driven by Patrick Kane junior who will not be caught in the leading driver table.

Sean Kane and his sister Mary seem to have purchased a nice type in the shape of Komete De Liton (3/1). As Komete is only five, they’ll be hoping for a few profitable seasons. The Naul-based runner beat the Kerry entry Joy Street driven by Oisin Quill in another Grade E to F affair.

Making Memories goes to winter grass undefeated for owner/ driver Calvin Broughan, who has dominated the three-year-old trotting division. Hopefully, some of his contemporaries will emerge in 2026 to give him a race. For the record, Calvin’s protégé beat Mr Castlewood by a good 12 lengths.

The final meeting of 2025 will take place tomorrow, Sunday, at Annaghmore Raceway. The track is at Junction 13, M1 or eight miles west of Richhill.

Racecards, results and information is available at www.irishharnessracing.com Race replays are on IHRA YouTube channel.

PADDY Kane and sons from Summerhill in Elliott country are nothing if not game. The eight-year-old has clearly been the best in Ireland and Britain in 2025 and it would be tempting to quit for the year and freshen ‘Harry’ up for a 2026 campaign.

Instead, the Kane two-stall van is off to take their chance in France where Harry might get into their top 100 horses. Granted, over €15,000 won at home this year softens the risk as the son of Amstrong Jet has more than earned his boat fare.

Speaking to The Irish Field on Tuesday night, Mark Kane said: “The horse is on the Dublin - Cherbourg ferry as we speak. He will be 16 hours on the boat, then three hours down to central France when they dock. The horse has a double stall to himself and has bedding up to his hocks. He will then rest and hopefully qualify at Le Mans on Thursday.

“Patrick and my dad are with the horse. Paddy senior will stay with Harry for a few days and I’m hoping to get over for his race.

“We are aiming for a seven and eight-year-old’s race for non-winners of €100,000 lifetime. We can’t tell what track we will race at, but we are hoping for Vincennes.

Deciding factor

“We weren’t going to travel him in 2025, but he has been in such good form recently that we felt we had to have a go. Le Trot have arranged a stable with Louis Jublot and Marie Bachisch at Meslay-du-Maine.”

The latest French trip adds to the legend of Harry Knows, who apart from his exploits in Ireland, has won in Holland, America, England and Wales. A 2024 trip to Solvalla was marred when the horse got agitated in the build up to the Sweden Cup, where a huge crowd was in attendance.

Harry Knows seems steadier than ever this season and the wily Kanes will use every trick in their armoury to keep him sweet.

If the Kanes’ near neighbour can rule the roost at Far Hills, who would bet against an unusual Royal County double?