ONCE again, the ‘five to follow’ harness racing spotlight covers a wide geographic spread as we visit the stables of perennial champion driver John Richardson near Blakes Cross, Lusk and the Kevin Corey, barn high above Belfast at Mallusk.

JR as he is affectionately known has been unquestionably the most successful driver and trainer in the history of the sport in this country. His first win was with the little Pipers Gold horse Mister Brown in 1981.

Details of John’s early career are sketchy, but it is safe to say that by this stage he has amassed over 1,400 lifetime wins. As they say in America, he is the ‘winningmost’ horseman.

John’s late father Hughie originally opened Portmarnock Raceway in 1969 with with WJ McEnery of the nearby thoroughbred stud. John was not given a silver spoon as the early horses from Ulex mares and by Gold Vision and Go On Bye were not as naturally gaited as today’s stock.

Hughie would turn away no entry. ‘Sure send him down and we’ll get him going’ was the one refrain and John, guided by Patsy Fagan, would have to deal with whatever bounded out of the horsebox.

JR’s top horses are to numerous to mention them all: Must Fly, Rippling Skipper, River Grand, Bath Lane and the recent star Gentleman Jim ll are just a few examples.

In recent years, he has been retained as driver by the Meadowbranch barn, officially trained by Willie Flanagan. Kikicolt, Crown Manhattan and For A Few Dollars more were campaigned at various stages by Richardson.

Orange and black livery

Kevin Corey learned about horses from his father Seamus (80 this year). Seamus is unusual in that he is one of the last surviving ‘carters’ from Belfast, i.e., he worked with horses actually delivering goods in the city. Nowadays Kevin and his wife Marguerite run ‘J.P. Corey’ a thriving fleet of articulated lorries.

The trucks are hard to miss on the road with their orange and black livery. Each lorry also carries the name of a standardbred. Of course, orange and black are also the Corey registered colours for racing.

Seamus’ first horse was Ainton Surprise who pulled like a train but did not clock up many wins. Success came in Seamus’ early career when he started breeding from Mystery Girl herself a daughter of the double-gaited* world champion Mysterious Steamin.

Sly Misty, a prolific winner at White House Raceway and Flight Invader were just two of useful performers bred and trained by Seamus.

In recent years, Mahogany Montana and Fairdays Western have been winners for the yard. The latter won the All-Ireland Pacing Series in 2020 and 2021.

Kevin was a big part of Jonny Cowden’s emergence on the scene. Kevin put Jonny up on Fairdays Western when older more experienced pilots were available. It proved to be a winning move as Jonny has natural talent and gelled well with the horse.

As can be seen in the ‘five to follow’ Kevin’s son Adam (17) is now driving some of the string. Adam ran up three wins aboard 2021 Horse of the Year Double Deuce. The facilities between Kevin’s yard and his father’s adjoining place are second to none. With the time the family spend on their horses it would be no surprise if the Corey’s were to enjoy another successful season.

• ‘double gaited’ – having raced successfully as both trotter and a pacer. An unusual occurrence.

EPOPEE DU LAYON (FR)

8yo m Reach de Vandel – Orcade du Layon

A nice solid chesnut mare. Erin Flanagan drove her mostly last year. She won her last four starts and was only coming to herself at the end of the season. She is deceivingly fast – when she won in 2’04” she came the last half in a minute flat.

IMMACULATA (IRE)

4yo m Rachmaninov Seven – Ta Dairie

She is a Trotteur Français but conceived and foaled in Ireland. She was the top three-year-old in Ireland. She won eight from nine even though I had trained her very lightly.

I will give her a stronger foundation this year. She will improve but so will some of the bigger types she was in with. I wouldn’t rule out her taking her chance in France at some stage.

CASH ALL (GB)

8yo g Kikicolt – Yoko Hall

He was carrying an injury late last season so there should be some improvement in him. What’s more I’ll be starting him off my own way this year whereas last year he came to me trained up – albeit from a good stable in Scotland. He can be quirky behind the gate, but he is a 1’58” performer.

MEADOWBRANCH BOBBY (USA)

3yo g Sportswriter – Disney Pan

He arrived here in his dam’s tummy. We bought his mother as she already threw Monsieur Bibeau who was decent when we raced him.

The mare is the mother of the winners of $1.5 million already. He was a late foal, so we broke him at two and laid him off.

MB KING LOUIS (IRE)

3yo g Sweet Lou – Meadowbranch Queen

Again, an immature type so I’ll be in no rush with him. He will be a slow burner; I like to have a horse that will be sound at four and five.

His mother was some three-year-old until she broke a hock out in the field. Sweet Lou’s first crop in these islands were impressive.