Annaghmore Saturday

ANNAGHMORE is caught in ‘pre Red John mode’ where all the top stables are saving their best horses for the late summer highlight.

In the meantime, northern enthusiasts must make do with piecemeal cards. The fixture was made up of old journeyman types out to get a day’s pay and some well-bred youngsters learning their craft.

The meeting at Lyre drew a stronger entry (see accompanying article). North To Alaska (4/5 to evens), a steady servant for Noel Ryan and Shane O’ Neill, won the highest grade pace on the card in a respectable 2’02.4 on Annaghmore’s deep surface.

Ladyford Dollar was a gallant second for the Stewart/Coleraine stable, with Walter Stewart himself in the bike.

Good genes

John Richardson held onto his narrow lead in The Irish Field drivers’ championship by virtue of a maiden win in 2.02.4 aboard Shesnoaprilfool (1/3 fav).

“This mare is really the third generation of a breeding project I bought in Harrisburg (Pennsylvania) some years ago. I bought her grandam, Mattributes. She will only improve”.

The first dam She’s Got An Attitude was also a consistent winner so the genes look to be breeding on.

Sweet Sunset was a genuine second for trainer/driver Gavin Murdock.

The Randalstown stable of Jim and Dan McAteer has weathered all sorts of bad luck in recent seasons. The likeable 10-year-old Cyclone de Couriere (4/6 fav) is deceivingly fast. He has a low knee action which takes nothing out of him.

The swimmy gait was effective in the E to F trot and enabled a one-and-three-quarter-length win.

Cyclone can put in the odd inexplicable break but, given a clear round, he is a decent horse. Hot To Trot (Sean Kane) flattered at the death but the winner was gone for all money.

The win was a form of karma as Jim McAteer spent many hours plastering the new clubhouse but had to miss the launch meeting due to a bereavement.

Also in the trotting gait, another Co Antrim runner, the Ballyclare based Feugeres Erem (7/4 to 4/5) tasted success. Usual driver Sean Kane was content to edge into the race and produced the small mare at the only post that matters.

Coraile de Belande (Simon Duggan) kept up Tyrone honour as runner up.

Feugeres Erem’s owner Andy McTaggart is as game as the mare herself and a tilt at the RJM in West Cork will be on the cards.

Breeding better

The closing race was a three-runner two-year-old pace. Who would have thought that three two-year-olds, all by top-class American stallions, would file in behind the gate like old hands and scoot round the track in sub 2’05?

The race summarises the progress of Irish and British breeding, driven by stallion masters such as the Delaney brothers, Sue Young and the Wrights.

When Hughie Richardson staged two-year-old races in the 1970s, the youngsters hopped around like rabbits and 2’15 was considered decent. The breed continues to evolve.

For the record, Amazon Fire (Gavin Murdock) went round Annaghmore as if on rails. Stable companion Maid Sweet (Jay Murdock), was a handy second.

Cavan runner Watch Me Now was third for Bernard Nicholson. The trio finished with 2’04 on the clock and each of them looking like there is more in the tank.

It is intriguing to note that there could be other, perhaps even better, freshmen lurking in barns in both England and Ireland at the moment. Trainers will be trying to bring them to the bloom for the Breeders Crown, Sire Stakes and Delaney Memorial.

Laidler heads to Lyre

DONAL Murphy of the Red John Committee of Lyre, West Cork, was in touch during the week confirming that multiple UK leading driver and trainer couple, William ‘Rocker’ Laidler and his wife Alexis, have booked accommodation and stables for the August 20th and 21st showpiece.

Rocket drove the winner of last year’s edition, Merrington Moving Up, who was an orphan foal.

The Spennymoor, Durham, yard is also home to Evenwood Son of a Gun, a gelding who won all the big races in Britain before embarking on a two-year successful career in Canada.

Alexis Laidler only agreed to let her beloved ‘Gunner’ cross the Atlantic so long as he was guaranteed to return to her yard for retirement. What a swansong it would be if ‘Gunner’ was to wow the fans at Lyre!