THE 14th Vincent Delaney Memorial meeting was held at Tir Prince Raceway, Rhyl, North Wales last weekend.

The meeting has a distinctly Irish feel about it, as the centre of things is a memorial to a young man from Northside Dublin who passed away at 27 due to a heart attack.

Following Vincent’s passing in 2011, his brothers Derek and James instigated the VDM, as it quickly became known and the event brought prominence to the then-venue, Portmarnock Raceway.

Vincent and his brothers, like so many youngsters around Coolock and surrounding areas, messed about with ponies in younger days. The brothers were introduced to proper harness racing at Newtown Stud, Cloghhran. Hotspur was one of their early runners, a decent schoolmaster but a far cry from the bluebloods that Oakwood Stud produces nowadays.

While so many young men who visit America become interested in the racing side of things, the Delaneys seemed more interested in the breeding aspect. As their business in car sales developed, they purchased Oakwood Stud in Rhode, Offaly and Foreclosure (NZ), who is now 17, and has proved worth his weight in gold.

Links established

Eventually, links were established with major US and Australian studs and semen from Sweet Lou and Always Be Miki became available to Irish and UK breeders, a real game changer.

The past 12 years has seen Oakwood Stud’s core business adapt to survive, like any breeding operation. Initially, they sold at Brightwells Sale at the Royal Welsh Showgrounds, however this closed.

A sale was attempted at Mullingar Equestrian Centre, which was satisfactory but did not attract enough other breeders and buyers. In recent years, Oakwood youngsters have topped the sale at Mick Welling’s York Sales in October.

September 2025 will see another innovation whereby Oakwood Stud are teaming up with US-based OnGait.com ‘the world’s leading standardbred auction platform’ to stage the first Irish-bred International Online Auction scheduled for September 16th.

Oakwood yearlings have fetched UK record prices in the past. Oakwood Carmelita still holds the absolute record at £75,000. Oakwood Louis made £30,000 last year. With possible US bidders logging on to this platform, Derek Delaney is hoping to up the ante.

As the Rhode nursery has already produced Oakwood Ardan, (p,1.47.3; $301,367), Oakwood Annabella (p, 1.49.2) who ran in the Jugette in Ohio for fillies and Oakwood Initowinit ($452,444), it is not beyond the realms of possibility that new records could be set this autumn.

THE Irish contingent were unstoppable at Adam William’s Tir Prince complex last Friday and Saturday. The visitors won 14 out of 19 races.

The raiders took out all the finals of the age-defined divisions for pacing colts and fillies. Just for good measure, Harry Knows won the top grade trot for Paddy Kane from Meath.

The wins by Ayroplane in the three-year-old colts and Ayrodrome in the two-year-old fillies had the fans excited.

Both had been ‘winter favourites’ as such, and people love to see the hype horse hacking up, even though very few touched them at odds of 1/6 and 1/12 respectively.

From a journalist’s point of view, it is of course easy to report on such successes. Patrick Kane jnr took Ayrodrome and Ayroplane to the front in both heat and final and they won all four races eased down.

Just like Willie Mullins or Aidan O’Brien in the much more developed world of conventional racing, the success of the Kanes is becoming a bit predictable.

Peak of his powers

They have good partners at the yearling sales. The horses get trained to within an inch of their lives. Patrick (39) is at the peak of his powers. The gate pulls off, the Kane runners show speed and a nice gait. Game over.

Harness racing needs a Gordon Elliott or Ger Lyons figure to challenge the Kane domination, but for now let us applaud their achievements.

Statistically, only 25% of the yearlings entered in the VDM in February make it to finals day in August and only 33% of these finalists have a realistic chance of winning.

The point being it is some going for Messrs. Kane, McAleer and Murdock to avoid all the banana skins and pull their runners out in winning form come August.

John Ball from Brentford bought both Ayrodrome and Ayroplane at the sales from the draft of Ayr breeder Ryan O’Neil, who still owns the dam Talk Time. Ball was asked about the mare’s 2024 foal by Always B Miki, a filly. “If we like her, we’ll bid,” was the response. Who could blame him?

The Hanover Shoe Farm colts race saw Ederney-based Neville Martin and his preferred driver Jonnny Cowden pick up the trophy with David Curtin’s Sweet Pa.

The ‘jolly’ Another Smile from the Joyce barn was unlucky in that another horse bumped into him at the first attempt at a start. The contact started the Ashbourne runner hopping and skipping, not the place to do that.

Sweet Pa was impressive, benefiting from a typical patient Cowden drive. ‘’You can’t beat Neville and Ned (Martin) getting one ready for a big day,” said Jonny.

Seasoned harness watchers are in awe of the manner of Coalford Annabelle’s win in the three-year-old fillies.

She was parked (forced to the outside) for the opening quarter, had to work hard for the lead and then kicked again. You don’t see that every day.

Biggest trophy

The win was the biggest trophy so far for Troy McAleer from St Margaret’s. The filly recorded 1.57.8. “We had some weekend,” commented Troy.

Troy’s cousin Eoin Joyce won the Lisadell Equine Hospital four-year-old colts with No Small Talk.

The son of Sweet Lou and John Richardson’s Shesgotattitude led out, made all, to beat the gutsy Scottish runner Money Hill (Hugh Menzies). No Small Talk paced 1.59.4.

Gavin Murdock endured ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’ at the meeting.

The 4/6 favourite Always Feeling Hungry broke going away in the winners of one race.

However, Bobby Barry also owns Fun In The Sun who Murdock steered to beat the tough Always Be Puffin (Billy Roche) in a fast clock of 1.58.9 to win the Woodlands Stud/Campbells Comments four-year-old mares’ pace.

For the record, Ayrodrome, Ayroplane, Sweet Pa and Coalford Annabelle all won their heats easily.

The gamble of the meeting was where Another Smile (evens to 1/3) won his heat of the two-year-old colts. The tremors from the betting ring were felt in Cardiff.

Shes Hungry was another Irish winner for owner Clive Kavanagh and Patrick Kane jnr, who was leading driver over the two days with five wins.

Harry’s finest

Harry Knows was fancied by some to beat the British one-mile record of 1.59.9 but they went slow (1.01.1) to the half, which scuppered that plan. Nonetheless, this win in the Elvin Delaney Free For All, will rank alongside Harry’s finest as Patrick skilfully picked off his rivals to beat the mare Hawaii De Bercheres (Rhun Wilson).

Another French Trotter, Immodesto, struck a blow for Ireland and Kenmare as he won the mile and a half trot for coachman Oisin Quill.

The seven-year-old, with his distinctive white face, was no bigger than 6/4 - a vindication of the Irish form.

Standout performances

One of the standout Irish performances was actually a beaten run. Coalford Look At Me was a game second for the Duggans from Galbally in the two-year-old fillies.

“At £5,000, she proves you don’t need to buy a sales topper to be competitive,” said Sean Duggan.

Kelly Peacock from York (daughter of Mick Lord) beat her sister Catherine and six other girls from all over the world to win the Bernie Kelly Memorial Ladies’ Race sponsored by The Hambletonian Society and the Kelly family.

Brilliant snippets

Kelly was on Mattys Virtue for the Connors from Cardiff. Kelly’s partner is leading British harness bookie John Smart, who wrote brilliant form snippets for the programme.

Kelly took great delight in telling all and sundry that ‘Smartie’ gave her no real chance in the write up.

Australian driver Lauren Tritton, who normally races at The Meadowlands, New Jersey, gave a master class in driving to win the Ed Telle High Grade Pace with Rhyds Dude trained by Alexis Laidler.

DEREK Delaney has been described as the Don King of harness racing. He always seems to dream up hooks and gimmicks to create interest.

Dave Little, who normally hosts Meadowlands TV, was co-host on the live stream with Heather Wilder, wife of trainer Mike, enthusiastic and always elegant. Dave’s voice seemed to carry well at the actual venue. The Voice Of The Little Brown Jug, Roger Huston called the races, alternating with Darren Owen.

Several ladies belted out 70s and 80s cover versions, while Dublin-based folk singer Eddie Sherlock played Saturday with a new song ‘Here They Come’ based on a Huston catchphrase.

The overall event was well-run by Derek Delaney and Adam Williams and Eric Witherspoon of Tir Prince. To be constructive, both punters and bookies felt that more races for older pacers would be a stronger betting medium. More could be done to encourage the visiting foreigners to meet the general public.

The visiting dignitaries had toured Ireland for six days beforehand (they paid a fare) and Derek arranged for them to see Trim Castle, Powerscourt Gardens, Alan Wallace’s Newtown Stud and, of course, Oakwood Stud.

A vast amount of racing, breeding and Irish scenery is discussed on Vincent Delaney Memorial Facebook and their website.