‘Veteran trainer on the comeback trail’ could well have been this week’s harness racing headline, however Alan Wallace the horseman in question tries to convince everyone that he is no veteran. “I’ve not gone away yet you know,” he said after recording a double at Annagmore last Saturday. Privately the 55-year-old must have taken a lot of satisfaction at the ending of a long barren spell, if we are indeed allowed to say that!

The two winners to come out of Newtown Stud both advertised their well-being with honourable defeats at the previous meeting at Portmarnock.