THIS year has provided not one but two exciting milestones for Irish harness racing.

Firstly, the opening of the purpose-built 880-yard circuit at Lyre on July 11th was universally praised. And tomorrow [Sunday], the European Apprentice Driving Championships will take place at Dundalk Stadium.

The event is a direct result of Ireland’s membership of the Union Européenne de Trot [UET]. Ireland has gained much from its European links.

Sean Kane, Patrick Kane junior, Jonny Cowden and Chris O’Reilly have all won races on the continent. This country gets a seat at the table at conferences on gambling, integrity, breeding and rulemaking. So, inevitably, Ireland was asked to host a UET event.

A bit like the Eurovision Song Contest, the ‘spectacle’ is a costly carry-on. Lisadell Equine Hospital are the main sponsors on the day.

Full marks to Mark Flanagan, chairperson of the Irish Harness Racing Association, who specialises in making the difficult happen. Barring a catastrophe, 10 races (98 runners) will be staged on Sunday.

A sub-committee of Hannah Richardson, Erin Flanagan, Sean Kane and Rachael Stewart have been in touch with Helsinki, Paris and Valetta to make the meeting happen.

A dozen mustard-keen apprentices from different countries will fight out five legs on the card.

The track at Lyre is a fine set up, but the UET prefer a track of 1,000 metres (five furlongs) or more. Also, the facilities at Lyre are adequate, but would not befit an event of this stature.

The harness racing community are delighted to be back at Dundalk. The all-weather venue might lack the history of the Curragh or Leopardstown, but it is nonetheless a jewel in the horseracing crown of Ireland. Irish trotting had nothing to rival Vincennes, Enghien or Solvalla, so the temporary use of Dundalk was badly needed.

Harness meetings were held at Dundalk from 2015 to 2017 and were said by most observers to be successful. Horsemen are buzzing to be racing again in state-of-the-art surroundings.

The surface at Dundalk is slightly deeper than a typical harness track and there will be only one or two bends in most races. On the positive side, the straights are over 100 feet wide, so no driver should get boxed in. The long straights will suit trotters especially well. Dundalk will suit the type of horse who ran well at Musselburgh, Wolverhampton or Lanark (sadly defunct).

Apart from the apprentice heats, four paces and a high-grade trot will be held. These races will feature professional drivers, mainly Irish with Richard Haythornthwaite and Will Greenhorn from Britain listed in the 72-hour declarations.

The top trotter in Ireland, Harry Knows, will be in action, taking on the best trotter in England, Giant Pyla. The score is 2-2 between them from four previous meetings. With skilled drivers Patrick Kane junior and Will Greenhorn of Scotland (‘The Nugget’) at the controls, this will be an epic battle.

Entries, results and information can be found on irisharnessracing.com and replays will be available on the Irish Harness Racing YouTube channel.

If you have not been to a harness racing meeting before, they don’t come much bigger. The celebrations in the winner’s circle for winning a €3,000 race will rival a feature race at Galway!

The first of 10 races is due off at 2pm. Bookies in attendance. All the usual facilities will be open and there’s also live music and kids’ entertainment.

The Watcher’s Selections

SHOULD WIN EACH-WAY

2.00 Ayr Exchange Lisleen Skater

2.25 Churchview Saka Desert Ranger

2.50 Another Smile Elwood

3.15 Juvenile Hippie Sisu

3.40 Comete Des Landes Hot To Trot

4.05 Kandie Tillaye Gentleman Coglais

4.30 Feugeres Erem Helios De Lara

4.55 Instinct De Jomax Ecrin De Grimault

5.20 Oakwood Paddy Always Skye

5.45 Giant Pyla Iron Paddy