Dundalk Sunday

THE harness racing meeting at Dundalk Racecourse provided some memorable scenes last Sunday. As predicted, the trotting community were like children let loose in the toy shop and they genuinely appreciated the fine grandstand and stables.

The main story was, of course, that 22-year-old Eoin Murphy became the first Irishman to win the Apprentice Championships, in fact any European Trotting Union competition.

Charlie Flanagan, Sean Kane, Oisin Quill and Patrick Kane jnr have all come close in championships over the years. Therefore, this win on home soil was particularly satisfying.

A crowd of 30 people - Dubliners, Corkmen and Ulstermen - lifted Eoin aloft in the winner’s circle.

On a poignant note, Eoin lost his grandmother Philly Burchill 48 hours before the contest, so he did well to carry on. The Burchills from Skibbereen were well known in harness racing and, more recently, have done well with Irish Draughts and show ponies.

Sympathies are extended to the family. Philly was a horse lover and her grandson did her proud.

Lovely book of drives

Eoin was installed as 4/5 favourite before the heats began. Inarguably, he had a lovely book of drives. Murphy had two steady conveyances, Juvenile and Ilda Manchotte and two more volatile characters, Kaos De La Cote and Hope De Guinette.

Punters believed ‘If he stays down, out of the gate, he will win’, when discussing the latter two and, thankfully for the home crowd, trot they did.

For the record, Eoin won leg one with Juvenile (6/4 best), a recent addition to the Willie Flanagan yard. The Spanish 18-year-old Adria Riera Vaquer was second with the John Richardson-trained Jelina Benoit.

In the next leg, Eoin got a great tune out of the speedy Kaos De La Cote. The winner is owned by Jim Galway from Lagmore in Belfast. The Maltese youngster Daniel Debono (20) emerged as a title contender, as he guided the Loughran runner Ksar De Mone to second place.

Jim’s daughter Ciara said: “Kaos is a brilliant stayer, the track suited him. Thanks to Eoin for a great drive.”

To the third leg and, a bit like the closing weeks of a football season, Eoin became mathematically impossible to catch as he finished second with Ilda Manchotte, part-owned by Limerick hurler Kyle Hayes.

The Spaniard Vaquer, inexperienced but with 20 wins on home soil, had a confident win with Krack Marancourt for the Duggans from Galbally.

Sean Duggan was heard shouting ‘Vamos!’ as Krack Marancourt powered up the straight.

Icing on the cake

Finally, Eoin Murphy put the icing on the cake by winning with Billy Roche’s Hope De Guinette. The connections must have thought they were in town for the European Punting Championships with some hefty wagers witnessed.

Hope De Guinette defeated the reigning champion Lynus Lannoo of Belgium, who was on Darren Timlin’s Funky Du Noyer. “Every horse I had played their part. The result was unbelievable,” Eoin told The Irish Field.

There was a fifth leg, in which Eoin had no drive. The race went the way of Joy Da Vinci from the Freddy Kavanagh camp. The coachman was Sebastian Rishovd of Norway. Incidentally, Norway has banned the whip entirely, while most countries including Ireland have strict rules such as ‘wrist action only’, no shoulder-high usage and no blows wider than the width of the sulky.

Sponsor Kevin Corey was unlucky not to win back the lion’s share of his money. Corey’s Extrem Ryld (Korhonen, Finland) looked gone for all money until the Norwegian galvanised Joy Da Vinci.

Trainer Freddy Kavanagh brings a crowd of younger followers. The boys are good humoured in victory and defeat and the sport needs new blood like this.

On the ropes

The eight bookmakers who plied their trade were on the ropes early in the meeting. Ayr Exchange (Sean Kane for Bobby Barry) was well supported in the opening pace (1/2 - 6/4 - 1/2). The son of Hasty Hall duly obliged, giving Sean a rare pacing victory.

“He was a much-needed winner for me in a quiet year,” said Sean, a fireman at Dublin airport.

The cleverly-named Somebeachinclare was second with Troy McAleer. (Somebeachsomewhere was the most famous pacer of his generation in North America). The Roche team adopted a scorched earth policy in the betting ring for Churchview Saka’s race.

The tall son of Always B Miki opened at 1/3.

The connections may have got a bit better value, as money came for the McNulty runner Sweet Gossip.

In the end, Churchview Saka won with Billy Roche’s whip still tucked under his arm. Mission accomplished by the Tony Martin of harness racing. The pace was a G to F Grade, the winner had been kept at home to preserve his mark.

John Roche, himself a sponsor through his Dublin Plant and Digger Hire, was pleased that Patrick Kane jnr was on Prince Edward Island, Canada, for their Gold Cup and Saucer meeting. “Saka was second to Ayroplane three times and Hope was second to Harry Knows five times. To win at this meeting was the Holy Grail for us.”

Rich vein of form

Jonny Cowden’s rich vein of form continued, as he guided Just A Moment to an all-the-way victory in the D to E pace. The son of Control The Moment is trained by Neville Martin from Ederney, who is a big day specialist.

Rhyds Rival was second under owner Darren ‘Mouse’ Joyce. Mouse has been battling serious illness and his pluck in getting up to drive was admirable. Mouse got the loudest cheer of the day as he went down to the start.

The top-grade pace was something of an upset result. All the pundits made this between the big four in the market, Benny Camden the old man of the pack, Oakwood Paddy (1.47 in his US career), Northern Pride as honest as they come, and the mare in form Always Skye.

Larry Camden was backed from 3/1 to evens, pinged the gate and did not see a rival with Troy McAleer of St Margarets in the sulky. Betonme was second across the line, but was rightfully disqualified as his young driver over-used the whip. The winner’s stable companion Northern Pride was promoted to second.

Normally, our harness racing coverage quotes the winning times. This week, we have skipped this detail as the paces were over the odd distance of seven furlongs and the trots over 10 furlongs were over a soft surface like an outdoor school, so comparisons are meaningless.

Trotted superbly

As if to prove a point, the free-for-all trot² was won by 10/1 and better shot Inaya De Mongochy driven by Freddy Kavanagh. The mare was nigh on uncontrollable at Annaghmore seven weeks previously, but trotted superbly around the larger Louth track to win with her head in her chest.

Strange tracks throw up strange results and the Ashbourne-based mare put the wheels back on the bookies’ wagons. That much said there were some nice bets reported at 10/1 and 14/1.

The Watcher from The Irish Fieldnapped the British raider Giant Pyla (4/6) as did programme tipster Mark Kane. The deeper going seemed to blunt the gutsy chesnut’s speed and €2,200 for second place goes to the Holgates from the north of England. Harry Knows (7/4) was fourth. He prefers to hear his hooves clatter off a hard surface.

¹ stays down: to stay trotting, sometimes described as staying level

² free-for-all: top grade race, with no allowances