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THE Irish Harness Racing Club recently announced the calendar for the 2023 season.
The action is set to open on the hard track at Annaghmore, Armagh, on April 29th. With the closure of Portmarnock last year the organisers are negotiating for a grass venue in Fingal.
West Cork can actually show evidence of trotting in some form going back over 100 years. With a strong concentration of horse owners in the region and a cluster of established grass tracks, West Cork could provide the best harness racing on this island in 2023.
We hear from the vastly experienced Tadhg Murphy from Baltimore and the up and coming Jamie Hurley from Reenascreena about their respective horses to follow for the year ahead.
JAMIE Hurley (27) has some work ethic. He holds down a job in ‘proper’ racing with Michael Kennedy’s National Hunt yard. As if that’s not tough enough work he has 10 harness horses in work at home. Jamie is quick to credit the help he gets from his sister Rebecca, whose sweet demeanour belies a keen eye in the betting ring.
Jamie is proud of the two winners he trained at the Red John Meeting (held in Lyre in August) in 2022, describing the meeting as the equivalent of Cheltenham in West Cork.
Jamie’s horses always look well in themselves and he is not scared to use ‘the best available’ on the big days. Who can rule out this deep thinking young man improving his CV this year?
Pacers
Benny The Legend (USA)
2yo g Bit of a Legend – Sea Cruise Hanover.
He is small but as strong as an ox. He is a sharp sort with a great attitude. He will be aimed at all the two-year-old stakes including the Vincent Delaney Memorial. He’d be a poignant winner as he was selected by Richard Pelan before his untimely passing. Rebecca jogs him.
Down By Crecora (IRE)
2yo g Down By The Seaside – Wordly Deo
He is owned by Douglas Byrne. He is a laid back two-year-old and is improving every week. His brother paced 1.49 in America. I’m really looking forward to him.
Louis Vutton (GB)
4yo g Sweet Lou – L Dees Heavenly Rival
He is new to my yard and looks a good hardy type. Nothing fazes him. His full sister went 1.48 in the States. I think he will take to a grass track.
Trotters
Fandango De Nile (FR)
8yo g Soleil du Fosse – Sophia Saint Juvin
We won him in the IHRA fundraising raffle. My girlfriend Hannah Richardson owns a part of him. Hannah’s father John gave him a fortnight’s work when he came in from France last year and liked him.
Irish Good Dream (IRE)
5yo g Rachmaninov Seven – Queensy
He showed plenty of ability last year. I didn’t think he’d grow much more, but he did. He loves a grass track and Patrick Kane gets on great with him. The sire has been throwing racehorses.
TADHG Murphy holds the training licence and brother Donal is the unflappable driver on the track. The Innis Beg based outfit has options this year especially when they have two engaged. Tadhg’s son Eoin (19) is now a third season driver, and did nothing but improve in 2022.
The brothers have been there and done it in Irish and British harness racing. Donal in particular has worked closely with owner (and key sponsor in Ireland) Bill Donovan of the USA.
Donal drove the winner of the famous Musselburgh Pace on his first visit to that track. The yard produced winners at Boughrood, Appleby and Tregaron. The Murphys have trained a VDM winner (IB Coyote) and winners at the Red John Festival.
The Murphys will be hard to beat at home (West Cork) or away in Dublin or the North. They have 12 in work. What secret weapon did Tadhg forget to mention to The Irish Field?
Pacers
Rock N Roll Beach (USA)
2yo g Rock n Roll Dance – Room to Breath
We have him for Lawrence Stewart from the opposite end of the country (Coleraine). He looks like a nice strong horse. He is a well bred animal, he came into these islands in his dam’s womb. We never ask our two-year-olds this early but he is doing everything well.
Benny Camden (GB)
8yo g Art Professor – Electrical Art.
Wayne McNevin’s pride and joy. He has mixed it with the best company for two or three years. He’ll be aimed at all the free-for-alls. He needs a bit of minding but he’s all class when he’s right.
IB Espresso
2yo f Sweet Lou – Clouds In My Coffee.
She gets her name from the dam who we really liked but she did not make the races. Bill Donovan owns, and he has been some owner for us. Bill values his Irish winners as much as the US ones. She has the trademark ‘Sweet Lou blaze’ and is jogging well.
Trotters
Homa (FR)
6yo m Kaisy Dream - Taloma
A chestnut mare who was imported late last year. We own her with local fisherman Aidan Hayes. She had a win and a second in a few weeks. She is simple to do and will race away. I suppose Donal will drive her as Bibi Dairpet has dropped into the same grade.
Bibi Dairpet (FR)
12yo g Qualypso Jiel – Nomade Castelets
What a servant he has been. Silvano Bello, Tenor Meslois, Banderillero Piya, people don’t realise just how durable these French Trotters are. He is a bit quirky, he has to get his routine. For example, I have to jog him as he would only pull hard with somebody else.
THE Irish harness racing community were buoyed by the news that Paddy Kane senior’s Harry Knows won his first race in the United States last Saturday in a time of 1.54 for the mile.
If you’re going to break your duck, do it in style and Harry Knows won at The Meadowlands, arguably the world’s highest standard track. Connections will be relieved as the six-year-old gelding put in an uncharacteristic error on his first competitive start, driven by Patrick Kane junior.
Harry Knows becomes the first Trotteur Français produced in Ireland to win in another country. On this occasion Harry Knows was driven by trainer’s wife Lauren Tritton, a fitting win on International Women’s Day. Lauren is an Australian, so the win has a true international feel.
Harry Knows joins Oakwood Cowboy, Ladyford Dollar and The Gypsy Queen (two wins) as Irish breds who have won in America since January. In fact, the list is becoming so long it is impossible to mention all the Irish and British bred winners by name.
The success on the US scene with its better prize money can only help the breeding industry in Ireland and Britain.
EDDIE Doherty of Belfast passed away on Saturday February 25th at the age of 89. Eddie, known by many as ‘Doc’, wore many hats in harness racing. He was an owner, trainer and driver. At Lambeg Stadium he ran racing and helped to keep harness racing alive during the dark days of the Troubles. Eddie specialised in putting newcomers ‘’into trade’’ which was the old phrase for selling someone their first ‘yoke’ - a horse, harness and sulky. He sold my late father the mare Lagonda in 1985 “for the wee lad to learn on’’ and thus landed me with an expensive habit. Sympathies go to Eddie junior, his daughter Barbara and the wider family.
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