Ballabuidhe

Sunday

JAMIE Hurley’s superb first half of the 2026 season continued over the Ballabuidhe festival last weekend, as he partnered no less than three winners including the feature race on the trot and on the pace.

The Reenascreena man won McCarthy Furniture/Euro Bar trot with John O’Sullivan’s Graal Du Dollar and the Heineken/Hurley and White Grand Prix with Wayne McNevin’s Benny Camden.

Benny Camden also won the highest grade pace on the opening day.

To steal a line from one of those sponsors, ‘Ballabuidhe’ is probably the best little festival in the world. The programme notes trace the horse fair and accompanying races back to 1615. Ladies, men and children were immaculate in a bid to win best dressed competitions.

Fellow The Irish Field contributor Tim Kelleher of Macroom saw his family inducted into the Hall Of Fame.

On the track, there were some notable performances. Coleraine to Dunmanway is about as far as you can drive on this island. Lawrence Stewart and son Lucas were rewarded for their stickability when the teak tough Always Skye took out the Free For All, sponsored by O’Brien Solicitors and O’Brien Car Sales.

Outsmarted

Tactics often come into a three-horse race and Jonny Cowden is a runner for Goal Of The Season, as he outsmarted the opposition.

Jonny went all in on the first lap as he doggedly held off the useful Northern Pride, winner of numerous races for Troy McAleer.

Northern Pride was parked out - and parked out on the tricky Dromleema Lawn on a dirty weather day, is not where you want to be. Always Skye held on to win, a good advert for sire Always B Miki.

“It’s nice to have a horse good enough to go anywhere, my kids get a great kick out of this,” said Lawrence.

Billy Roche looks to have unearthed yet another durable trotting gelding to follow on where Urbano Des Selles and Valiant De Gueham left off.

Klaousou d’Amour is the latest racehorse to come out of Fort Cloghran. The uncomplicated six-year-old won the Paddy Connolly Trot on day two and to add to his win on the Sunday. The winner was well backed both days.

“That’s four he has won so far, we are only getting to know him,” said The Red Baron.

The Cross family from Limerick enjoyed a double with Bet On Me, ironically not well backed, and Sure Am Classy, who was supported.

Overdue winner

Newtown Stud picked up an overdue winner in the shape of Newtown Electra. Michael O’Mahony from Schull came in for the catch drive in the Wesco Weathermaster Grade G pace.

The Grade F and E trot went to Kerry, as Oisin Quill came late with Joy Street to land the spoils.

Recently qualified driver Dylan O’Neill won an incident-packed Grade G pace with his Pan Cam Corona, bred by Hall Of Famer Tim Kelleher, which has a nice ring to it.

Meath-based equine dentist Mark Kane had a double with the pacer Elwood (4/5 to 1/2) and Anthony Malone’s trotter Eliano Love (5/2).

Iron Paddy picked up the Cahalane Brothers Grade B trot for Longford-based farrier Ronan Norton, who said: “Paddy has been lucky In Cork; he is very versatile.”

Humour De Cosse opened a double for Michael O’Mahony in the Grade E to D trot. “The Hills (owners) are unreal at peaking a horse for the big day. That’s four years in a row that Humour has won at Ballabuidhe,” Michael told The Irish Field.

IB Paddington added the Grade C to P pace to his CV with semi-retired Donal Murphy in the bike.

“I was lucky to get the spin as my nephew Eoin has first call these days,” was the comment from the many times Cork champion.

Fixtures

Annaghmore today was forced to cancel due to the VDM effect. Lyre tomorrow was going ahead at time of writing.

Results and racecards are, as ever, at www.irishharnessracing.com Replays are on the Irish Harness Racing You Tube channel.

Annaghmore

Saturday

ANNAGHMORE on Saturday, August 1st was overshadowed by the Ballabuidhe Festival.

Andy McTaggart loves to call Feugeres Erem ‘the wee mare from Ballyclare’ and the little 11-year-old did it again in the top grade trot. In any code of racing, the public love a good mare, especially when they are not overly big.

‘’I think 3.07 might be the fastest mile and a half this year,” said proud owner Andy.

The McHugh family from Baileboro had their first ever training double. The capable Jonny Cowden steered Rhyds Anna M to a Grade G pace win. The North Belfast man added a G1 and G2 pace 40 minutes later with Woodview Rogue. Woodview Rogue is from one of the late crops of Kikilcolt, a very underrated sire.

Patrick Kane jnr led out, made all to win the D to F pace with The Groomsman. The Groomsman was so often the bridesmaid behind Ayroplane, pardon the pun. On this occasion, the winner was perhaps lucky as second favourite Big Bets and Jonny Cowden hooked wheels when coming with a run.

Epsom De Corvees continued the Indian Summer of his career in winning the Grade E and F trot for Luke Timlin of Derrylin.

BY now the Vincent Delaney Festival is genuinely world renowned, thanks to endless marketing on social media by organiser Derek Delaney.

The best two, three and four-year-old pacers in Ireland and Britain will decamp for Tir Prince, North Wales on Friday 7th and tomorrow for the glamour meeting of the year.

Guests from the USA, Australia and Europe will be in attendance. The Bernie Kelly Memorial Ladies’ Race has drivers from eight countries. The Irish Field will report all the cheers and tears.

IN other news, Durham-based driver Watson Harrop jnr won six races from a 10-race card at Haugh Field, Stirling on the Sunday.

The Harrop name goes way back and Watson was congratulated by his many friends in Ireland. Sources are saying the six-timer equals the British record.