THE now annual France – Ireland Friendship Weekend at the Hippodrome d’Argentan, Normandy is becoming a season-end treat for keen Irish horsemen and horsewomen.

Two teams, one of fully licensed drivers and another of apprentices, did battle last Sunday. Drimoleague man Chris O’Reilly won the race for senior drivers, aboard Flaubert Gede, a five-year-old.

O’Reilly is more accustomed to driving pacers, which are not raced in France. In fact, his spin around the splendid Argentan track was his first competitive drive on a French trotter, so at least he goes into 2022 with a 100% record on Trotteurs Français.

“I have two pacers at home, old reliable Rhyds Panache and a younger horse, Royal Ambro,” O’Reilly said. “The owners told me to keep him covered up which I managed to do. In the straight we were nearly boxed in but I got out just in time. The mannerly horse made my job easier.”

Chris becomes the second Irishman in modern times to win a race in France after Sean Kane ended a long drought for the visitors in 2019. Top French driver Franck Ouvrie was second. Ouvrie has travelled over to Ireland and won races at Dundalk and Portmarnock.

Where there are French Trotters Sean Kane will not be far away, and the 2021 leading driver of that gait was on the team. The December 19th date would not suit married drivers and might be better brought forward a bit.

Sean is married to the sport and enjoyed the group trip to the stud farm of Jean Pierre Dubois, the Haras de la Gastine near Echauffour.

“We saw the stallions Love You, Goetmals Wood and Fabulous Wood,” he said. “Monsieur Dubois is well known in the thoroughbred world as well and you couldn’t distinguish between his trotter and his thoroughbred yearlings unless you were told.”

The IHRA leased a Dubois stallion, the effeminately named So Lovely Girl for 2021 and it was Sean’s father Ger who provided food and lodgings while he worked at Mooreside Stud, The Naul. Jean-Pierre Dubois gave Ireland a generous deal to help our bloodlines and local mare owners are grateful for his interest.

Apprentices

Unfortunately, the apprentice team were not so successful. Charlie Flanagan was with her cousin Erin Flanagan, who were the only two ladies on the panel. Charlie, this year’s leading lady driver at home, was the best of the Irish in fifth. Dubliner Calvin Broughan looked to be coming to win but his horse broke. That is why it’s called trotting or, should we say, ‘course au trot.’

The senior drivers to represent Ireland were Simon Duggan, Sean Kane, Freddy Kavanagh and Darren Timlin.

The apprentices to line out for their country were Calvin Broughan, Erin Flanagan, Charlie Flanagan, Luke Kelleher, Eoin Murphy, Dan O’ Mahony, Oisin Quill and Luke Timlin.

In an interesting development the weekend also featured the first monté (saddle race) jockey from Ireland to ride in France, the intrepid Emma Kane. Emma got her horse away to a good start but he ran according to his recent form.

No doubt Emma will be back hopefully with more Irish riders.