QUALITY rather than quantity was the order of the day at Annaghmore last Saturday. The Irish Harness Racing Association juvenile series, funded by The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and administered by Horse Sport Ireland, is an unwieldly meeting title but all the parties deserve great credit.

Over €80,000 in prize money was on the card. The sponsorship has achieved the desired effect of increasing the breeding of pacers in Ireland.

The reality is that young pacers, like any breed, are not machines and, if 30 youngsters started school in autumn 2025, the fact that three fillies and four colts made the final line-up on Saturday is about average.

Many of the two-year-olds are laid off by trainers when they show they are not ready, and are better at three as a result.

That much said, the two-year-old finals are the most keenly anticipated finals on the programme.

There were scores to be settled from the recent Vincent Delaney Memorial. John Richardson won both the fillies and colts divisions with Catch My Halo Hanover and Martinez The Knife, respectively.

Long-term career

Even on the very biggest days, John always races his young horses with the view that their long-term career is more important than the race on the day. If a two-year-old meets heavy traffic or horses ‘coming backwards’, Richardson does not overdo use of the whip. John did tell The Irish Field that he felt Martinez The Knife and Catch My Halo Hanover got tough trips at the Rhyl spectacular.

For the record, Catch My Halo Hanover (1/2 favourite), owned by Meadowbranch Stables, Joe Sheridan and Alan Davies, beat Jason Ligget’s Aines Story driven by Jonny Cowden in 2.01.1. Martinez The Knife beat CB Air Force (Ronan Norton) in 2.01.7 after the runner-up was disqualified for a whip infringement. Martinez The Knife (5/4) is owned by Clive Richardson (no relation to John), who owns Annaghmore Raceway.

“Catch My Halo has been perfect to work with from day one. I pushed little Martinez early in the race for the first time today and he responded,” said probably the most prolific Irish driver of all time.

The Kanes from Summerhill had four winners at this feature meeting. High Sees (Patrick jnr) fought out a tough finish with Brody (his brother Mark) in the Grade G pace. The winner is owned by Patrick’s wife Rachel (neé Bousfield).

World class

Ayrodrome made it two for Patrick in the three-year-old ‘Oaks’. She beat the useful Meadowbranch Adira (John Richardson) in 1.58.4.

Breeder Ryan O’Neil (from Ayr of course) was present, as was part-owner John Ball from Brentford. “She is world class” is an excerpt from John’s comments and few would differ.

The Balls got a quickfire double, when recent purchase Oakwood Miki won a Grade G pace from the gallant Newtown Electra (Lee Kelly). A double for sire Always B Miki on the weekend, as Always Paid won in Lyre as well.

Patrick Kane jnr took out a fourth race, when Cash Is King (5/2) won a competitive looking IHRA Derby. Cash Is King won in 1.58.1 for owner Neil Holgate from Settle in North Yorkshire. Neil told The Irish Field: “When I saw the potential prize money in Ireland, I asked Patrick to take him at three.”

RD Five Star was second for owner Wayne McNevin, driven by John Richardson. Coalford Annabelle beat Kickinginthesand (Jonny Cowden) and Shes Hungry (Clive Kavanagh) in the four-year-old mares’ division.

The accomplished mare now goes to the breeding paddocks. For A Few Pearls More (Myles Connors) upset Benny Camden (Leah McNevin) in the Liam Wallace C Class drivers’ final.

Bobby Barry’s Ayr Exchange put in a huge performance to win the four-year-old colts’ pace in 1.56.6 driven by Troy McAleer. Gregory Dean’s Bowie (Gavin Murdock) lost nothing in defeat.

The aptly-named Hot To Trot (2/1) took out the Grade F/G trot with owner Mary Gilligan in the bike. ‘’My little terrier,” said Mary in praise.

The four-year-old trot is becoming predictable, as Calvin Broughan’s Making Memories beat Jonny Cowden on Joe Sheridan’s Moet Of Springhill once more.

The Irish Field

National

Drivers’ Title

WINS UP TO SEPTEMBER 9th (UNOFFICIAL)

JAMIE Hurley from Reenascreena continued his pursuit of a first The Irish Field national drivers’ championship, driving two winners at a rain-soaked Lyre on Sunday afternoon.

Lady Mil kicked off his brace in the Grade G, G1 and F trot. Long-time leader Brutenor was running low on the petrol gauge with two furlongs remaining and Lady Mil went clear to win easily from Hianca HA, who stayed on for second with the gallant Brutenor third. Lady Mil is owned by Limerick-based Thomas Martin and was not winning out of turn.

Patrick Hill confirmed that a good home has been found for Brutenor when he retires in a few weeks. The tough chesnut is going to, of all places, the Curragh of Kildare.

Hurley completed his double with Always Paid, who was purchased at the Tregaron Festival in Wales last week for new owner Liam Twomey from Leap and made his West Cork debut a winning one in the Grade B to D pace.

The son of Always B Miki wasn’t hanging around and led out of the gate from Ayr Harbour and IB Paddington. Always Paid ran out an eight-length winner from Ayr Harbour. The clock-in of 2.01.9 was the fastest time of the day for pacers and more improvement on that time is certain.

Nice type

“Liam was on the lookout for a horse and we enquired about him before Tregaron and as we were over, I got to drive him and he looked like a nice type. He ran well in the tough conditions there. He only landed during the week. The Twomey lads like their racing and I’m sure they will celebrate it well in Leap tonight,” Hurley explained after racing.

Graal Du Dollar was the punters’ choice in the top Grade trot this week, but found the 50-yard trail too much of a burden on the rain-sodden track. Duc D’Arry was the first away and led for the opening six furlongs of the mile and a quarter. Here Instinct De Jomax took up the running and was not for catching, recording another win for the American-based VIP Syndicate. Mike O’Mahony from Schull was in the driver’s seat on Instinct De Jomax. The winner is trained in Baltimore by Tadhg Murphy.

Tadhg recorded a training double, as Gentleman Coglais recorded his second win in as many weeks when making all in the Grade D to E trot. Murphy had three runners in this. Eoin Murphy, the number one driver in the yard, had the pick and he sided correctly with Gentleman Coglais, who was always in front and saw off challenges from Jelina Benoit and Comete Des Landes before eventually leading home Fairplay Briolais.

Impressed

Magical Bailey was another who impressed in the Grade F/E pace. Owned, trained and driven by Matthew O’Reilly from Drimoleague, the four-year-old led at the halfway marker and went on to record a career-best 2.03.7 for the mile on a track running a few seconds slower than normal. The son of Bolt The Duer was also bred by the O’Reillys and looks destined for better things.

Dubliner John Richardson had one winner from three runners when his Meadowbranch Adios won a Grade G pace for Welsh owner Alan Davies. JR was never in any danger on Adios, stopping the clock in 2.02.7 from Freshly Washed, who did his best work late and looks one to watch.

The main meeting in Ireland this weekend is the two-day Richard Phelan Memorial at Lyre today and tomorrow. Entries, results and information can be checked at irishharnessracing.com. Race replays are at Irish Harness Racing Association’s YouTube channel.