HARNESS RACING: Cowden and Roche on the Double 30 April 2021 Premium

THE sixth meeting of the 2021 season saw a marked increase in the number of entries with 43 horses engaged before four withdrawals. The meeting ran to eight races.

Pacers are still thin on the ground but three qualifiers for this gait featured around 20 runners – a strong indication that this division is about to take off.

Qualifiers are seen in harness racing and greyhound racing. Runners have to go below a certain time in order to get onto a proper card.

On the ‘proper card’ Billy Roche and Jonny Cowden proved their wellbeing, both recorded doubles on the day.

Regardless of what side of the punting battle observers are on, there is no denying Billy Roche’s skill at keeping older French trotters motivated. He took the first of two conditioned grade F trots with the 13-year-old Urbano De Selles, the apple of niece Emma’s eye. The Kerry horse Destin De Larre (Finbar Quill jnr) showed a bit of dash in second.

Billy’s second winner came three races later when the consistent 12-year-old Vaillant De Gueham won in 2.06.7. Ella Du Fosse (Patrick Kane jnr) looked destined for second slot but broke on the line, so was automatically disqualified. Freedom Well with young Luke Kelleher got promoted.

The Roches did well last year with Pan Am Colt, bought from the Macroom yard. It would be no surprise if the Kellehers were to get some fun out of Freedom Well, a Roche cast-off. There is a long tradition of stable hopping at Portmarnock.

Great run

The Corey and Cowden horses race out of the same base at Kevin Corey’s Mallusk farm. The joint operation is having a great run in the early season. The yard is a great facility and both families punch long hours jogging, working, swimming and preening.

Jonny (21) has emerged as the number one driver over his father’s horses and those of Kevin Corey. He drove a trot and pace double with Celui De Laye and Double Deuce respectively.

Cowden said of Celui De Laye: “You could say he goes both ways now all right.” He went on to say: “Double Deuce had to battle today. His wins previously were off the front end but he came off cover here. He tired a bit the last day at Annaghmore but today he was still rolling after the line. He is still learning.”

Incidentally, the win with Celui De Laye was the 50th of Jonny’s career. He is certainly the youngest driver to reach that milestone since the IHRA started its current archive.

Good sport

Elsewhere on the card, the two Kane cousins, Patrick and Sean, served up some good sport in the opener. Sean will be cursing his luck as Harry Knows only beat Hot To Trot by the narrowest official margin, a nose.

Ger Kane, who has done so much to promote the breeding of Trotteurs Français in this country made an interesting point that the fastest trot on the day (2.04.7) was recorded by these two home bred four-year-olds. A fine advert for the IHRA programme.

The meeting fell exactly a week before the higher-profile Bernie Kelly Memorial Weekend, with enhanced prize money. Some of the entries on show last Sunday will be driven more aggressively on the big day.

Oisin Quill from Kenmare lived for the moment, in the A to C trot. He was content to track the pace setting Biniou Du Beuvron (Noel Ryan) and then came down the stand rail for a snug win by one and a half lengths. Oisin did tell The Irish Field in his ‘five to follow’ feature that Cakinap was his best horse at the moment.

John Richardson rarely leaves the track without winning a race. JR drove Boyardo to score in the concluding clockwise race for long term ally Joe Sheridan (see accompanying article). Tempo-based Darren Timlin attempted to make all with Avenir De Vauvert but Richardson always had him covered.

The multiple champion commented: “He wasn’t winning out of turn as he has been knocking on the door in recent weeks.”

The win by Boyardo franks the form of the Loughran’s Eddie Marceaux who gave the chesnut an 11-length drubbing at Annaghmore’s last meeting.

A three-runner maiden pace was won by the four-year-old filly Oakwood Temptress driven by Clive Kavanagh for the All Out Syndicate. Oakwood Temptress was vastly superior to the runner-up Anglesey Gayle (Patrick Kane jnr).

The winner was a picture of health and is bred to compete at a tougher level than this.

At time of going to press it is undecided whether the Bernie Kelly Memorial Weekend will be a one-day or two-day affair. Regrettably Covid regulations will mean that the general public cannot be admitted.

The IHRA intends to broadcast all the races live on their Facebook page.

Results and advance cards can be viewed at www.irishharnessracing.com

2021 National Leading Harness Driver Award