THE springtime is when horsemen’s thoughts turn to the breeding aspect of the business. Harness racing is no different and there are a superb selection of pacing stallions available to Irish and British breeders for 2023 coverings.

The two-minute barrier, once the magic yardstick has now become commonplace even on this side of the Atlantic. A 1.55 wouldn’t win you hay money in America, and even journeymen racehorses are going 1.52.

Ireland has to compete in this brave new world. Many privately-owned enterprises such as Oakwood Stud and Newtown Stud have worked hard to improve bloodlines. The Delaneys and the Wallaces, and others have been successful.

However, the ‘Invest In Ourselves’ programme run under the auspices of the Irish Harness Association should, according to its creators, offer the most tangible benefits back into the sport.

The ‘Invest In Ourselves’ series was launched for the breeding season of 2021. The oldest foals born in Ireland are now yearlings i.e., will be mouthed and started in autumn 2023. It will be 2024 before the first colts and fillies from the scheme will face the starting gate.

Donal Murphy of Baltimore is close to the ‘Corkman in Florida’, Bill Donovan. As the name would suggest, Bill has Cork roots and he has fairly taken Irish trotting under his wing. Not content with being the principal sponsor of the gala race meeting The Red John Weekend, the trucking magnate has been instrumental in devising the Invest In Ourselves series.

Irish breeding

Basically, Bill has donated breedings by his good stallion Cattlewash p, 1.46.4 at a subsidised rate to help Irish breeding. Donovan and the Cattlewash Syndicate have also used their contacts at Winbak Farm and Hanover Shoe Farm to provide Heston Blue Chip and Betting Line on similar favourable discounts.

Heston Blue Chip paced 1.48 for the mile and is the fastest son of American Ideal. Betting Line was a 1.47.2 performer. Heston Blue Chip was owned by Eric Cherry and Betting Line was trained and part owned by Casie Coleman, the sport’s most successful female trainer.

Betting Line won $2.2 million in his career; Heston Blue Chip picked up $1.8 million while Cattlewash earned $1.3 million. The figures would indicate these are top drawer stallions.

“We couldn’t do this without the help of our US friends,” stated Donal Murphy, “we own a Cattlewash foal in partnership with Bill.”

Donal continued: “As another measure of Bill’s commitment to this concept, he is sponsoring a competition for the best looking Cattlewash foal. He will pay the stakes fee for all the big US races for the selected foal, that could be worth $20,000.”

Donal specified that the fund will go towards purses at the Irish American Weekend, the Red John Memorial and the Juvenile Series.

IHRA chairman Mark Flanagan is understandably keen on the concept. “90% of the revenue goes back into racing. We believe these figures make ‘Invest in Ourselves’ unique in the world.”

Donal is well versed in US breeding. “Cattlewash equalled his sire Some Beach Somewhere’s world record. He also has Bettors Delight on his dam’s side. Heston Blue Chip was effective on all sizes of tracks, which I think will suit the Irish scene. Betting Line looks like his horses will get better with age, which is no bad thing.”

The list of mares which have received straws (AI is allowed in harness racing) from the stallions is a Who’s Who of local harness racing. The Murphys own a small piece of the Cattlewash/Reclamation colt foaled in America with Bill Donovan. Reclamation won several races in Ireland and Britain before going on to race in the US. The brothers also used Betting Line on the producing mare Jill and Jones.

John Richardson bred both Kickass Katie and Shesgotattitude to Cattlewash. Karl Mitchell’s Artcastic was a top race mare with Billy Roche. She has a Cattlewash on the ground and is due to foal to Betting Line.

The Meadowbranch Stud have a ‘beautiful’ yearling by Betting Line out of Meadowbranch Queen. The filly goes back to Churchill Queen a real ‘blue hen’ in the harness world.

The Ballyboughal outfit also have a Heston Blue Chip colt out of Able Hanover p, 1.50. The same stud also have the mare Disney Pan in foal to Heston Blue Chip, she is already the dam of the useful Monsieur Bibeau.

Comber horseman Gui Mc Cullough is waiting on Fairdays Cream to drop a Cattlewash foal. The Coreys of Glengormley have ‘invested’ by using Cattlewash on the proven mare Art n’ Soul.

We all know that blue blooded ancestry is no guarantee of success, but a nice page is a good help. The availability of these top US stallions plus the knock-on effect of better prize money in the future is a ‘win-win’ for Irish breeders of pacers.