Day one

JOHN Richardson has now the unique distinction of driving the first winner at the re-opened Portmarnock and the first winner at Lyre Raceway, which seems to be the title.

Meadowbranch Adira (3/1 to 4/5) was John’s opener of a treble over two days. She picked up the Lisavaird Co-op Grade G pace from Northern Lights, second on Irish debut for John Manning.

Churchview Saka was put in as favourite for the O’Donovan Welding Pace and was backed as if defeat was out of the question.

“He’s 17hh and we’ve had to be patient,” was the comment of driver Billy Roche.

The Quills from Kenmare have always held Immodesto in high regard. The likeable eight-year-old gave farrier Oisin Quill his only winner of the weekend in the Beehive Bar Grade C/D trot and a win to discuss with his workmates at Joseph O’Brien’s.

“The track is a credit to Mark Flanagan and the IHRA,” was Oisin’s impression.

Sweet Joe (Rhyce Carroll) took off like a rocket in the O’Donovan’s hardware grade F pace and seemed to find a bit more every time Coalford Henry H (Bernard Nicholson) came alongside. Eventually Dublin beat Cavan in 1.59.2.

Highlight

The Ireland v France Challenge is always a highlight in Lyre. The home side dominated, despite the Frenchmen drawing some nice horses.

Humour De Cosse with Patrick Hill from Leap won the first leg. ‘’It’s nice to win at this meeting in memory of a great friend, Red John,” Patrick told The Irish Field.

Homa (Eoin Murphy) beat Eoin’s uncle Donal on Gentleman Coglais in division two. An ‘un-deux’ for the Baltimore yard.

As always, Le TROT was a generous sponsor. Emmanuelle Morvillers, Marianne Simmonot and Monsieur Frappat of Argentan racecourse entered into the swing of things.

The French drivers seemed to enjoy the day. Both teams gave out baseball caps to the crowd courtesy of Le TROT, Red Mills and Drinagh Co-op.

Piebald and skewbald pacers attract a premium price. Sweet Royalty, owned by Johnny Cross of Limerick is difficult to value, as she has now paced the fastest mile (1.58) on an 800m track in the world.

Bernard Nicholson won the Astra Construction Pace from a game IB Paddington, driven by Canadian-based Hugh O’Neill junior, originally from Ayr.

Mix with the top

“Sweet Royalty is regally bred. I think she can mix it with the top solid coloured horses,” was the opinion of Cootehill-based Bernard.

Always A Heist (4/7 at the off) compounded the layers’ misery in the Red Mills three-year-old pace for Skyrne driver Eoin Joyce. 1.59.6 was the sharp clock, with Coalford Look At Me a gutsy second for Jonny Cowden and Lawrence Stewart.

Adam Corey had a dream weekend. Isba Quick, built like an Irish Draught, beat the local Hotesse Du Chassin (Jamie Hurley) in the Drinagh Co-op B to C trot.

”The mare had been training well, but I was concerned about her on the bends,” said a delighted Adam.

Ayroplane and usual coachman Patrick Kane jnr added the Ayr Standardbreds four-year-old pace to his already impressive CV. Shes Hungry (Clive Kavanagh) was an honourable second, a big run for a filly.

Day one closed with Benny Camden winning the Dublin Plant and Digger Hire B/C pace. The slick gaited veteran won from Rhyds Rival (Eoin Joyce), who arrived late on the scene. Owner Wayne McNevin was in the bike.

“Benny is a popular horse,” stated trainer Jamie Hurley, “he has issues, but they are manageable.”

Day two

The weather was more like Cannes than Cork once more on Sunday.

The trotting cognoscenti rolled into Ger Heggarty’s farm expecting fast times and they were not disappointed.

Proceedings opened as Meadowbranch Lil Mil from the Churchill Queen distaff line put a PU last time out behind her in an unextended 2.02.1 for John Richardson. Quills of Kenmare sponsored the Grade F pace.

When I was growing up, I did not dream that ‘Franck Ouvrie rarely leaves West Cork without a winner’ would become a line. However, this has come to pass.

The winner of 1,707 races, added the Irish Yoghurts Grade F to eight Irish winners with Homa from the Tadhg Murphy barn. The win was a double for Homa following Saturday’s victory.

All of the greats have one thing in common. Willie Greenhorn, Ian Pimlott, Dexter Dunn, James Murdock - they all look so relaxed in the sulky, as if they were on their favourite sofa. Indeed ‘Le Ouvrie’ looks at home in the bike.

“The trainer said she would win - I didn’t even pull the ear plugs,” was the summary from Le Patron de Clonakilty as Ouvrie was introduced.

Oakwood Paddy leading 'in Indian file' in the Kilshane Motors FFA Pace \ Lydia Kelleher Shine

Narrowest win

Rhyce Carroll adopted waiting tactics with Always Hungry (4/6 favourite) and picked off Coalford Look At Me by the narrowest distance in the game, a nose, to win the Village Inn Grade G pace.

The Murphy string had been primed for the big occasion in their back yard. Eoin Murphy led out with Gentleman Coglais and made all to foil the well-backed Klaousou d’Amour from (Billy Roche) in the Mervue Equine Trot. The win was a training treble for Eoin’s father Tadhg.

If Macroom ‘never reared a fool’, then Crossmaglen has ‘bred nothing but shrewdies’. The Boss from Cross, Patrick Carberry saw his US purchase Platinum Guy shed his maiden tag in the Kingston Hay Grade G pace. This column has warned readers that the John Richardson barn is a sleeping giant.

Funky Du Noyer was a pleasant surprise for trainer/driver Ronan Norton in the Track Bookmakers Trot. “He hadn’t been working well, but I got a nice pitch and he seemed to like the track,’’ was the comment from the greatest trotting trainer ever from Killashee, Longford. The gallant Epsom De Corvees represented Fermanagh well in second with Darren Timlin.As usual on a trotting big day, the later races were the glamour races. Oakwood Paddy (Gavin Murdock) had to fight to see off Northern Pride (Troy McAleer) in 1.56.7 in the Kilshane Motors pace. The owner of the winner had donated the bar building, the owner of the second sponsored the race.

Major prizes rout

Harry Knows continued his rout of the major prizes in the Liam Carlin Memorial Trot. He was unbackable on the straight. In fact, Graal Du Dollar and Jamie Hurley made great work to get within one and a half lengths in a swift 2.31.1.

“Harry now holds the Irish record at three different distances and one British record,” said Patrick Kane jnr, adding, “the track is outstanding.”

The Corey family celebrate Extrem Ryld's win in the Maven Trot \ Andy Gibson

Extrem Ryld and Adam Corey carried on the legacy left by his grandfather Seamus in the Maven Trot, named after sponsor Bill Donovan’s world champion mare. Hot To Trot and Sean Kane were second off a tough draw.

“He’s slow away, but once I was sitting in second, I was confident,” said 21-year-old Adam. Finally, Ayroplane faced older rivals in the Red John Trot of €4,000. One ‘rival’, namely Rhyds Rival (Eoin Joyce), gave the big name of the current scene a scare, as he proved hard to pass. In the end, Ayroplane prevailed in 1.55.8.

The owners, the Ball family, were in West Cork for the weekend. The Balls are good for business in fine restaurants, as they are no strangers to The Ivy and Quaglinos on their home patch.