THE busy village of Randalstown, Co Antrim is not a well-known trotting hot bed. Admittedly, the defunct Antrim Stadium where so many drivers (including yours truly) got started is just three miles away but these days only one family race out of the village by the River Maine.

Daniel McAteer was a useful amateur boxer before turning to harness racing. The family are mainly plasterers with grandfather James recently retiring at the tender age of 84.