ANNAGHMORE Raceway was the only harness racing venue in Ireland to race last weekend. As most of the major players, both horse and human were over in the valleys, this allowed a few of the lesser lights to get on the scoresheet. The winners were fairly well spread with three from Dublin, three trained in the North and one from the Omeath region.

James Murdock, now in his early fifties has probably won more major races than any of the Murdock clan. In only his second competitive drive this season James guided Rory McNulty’s Earnies Dream to a win over the well-backed Coalford Ollie (Gabriel McDonagh). There was a nostalgic touch to this win as Earnies Dream’s sire, Earned Income was regularly driven by one JV Murdock.