THERE is a crossover between racing and most other equestrian sports in Northern Ireland and harness racing owner Sean Duggan, who trains in the rolling hills of Co Tryone, uses a local racehorse trainer’s pool to swim his horses on occasion.

Duggan trains the country’s best trotter (as opposed to pacer) at the moment, Abraham, who, driven by the trainer’s brother Simon, was one of two winners for the yard at the recent 50th anniversary meeting at Portmarnock Raceway. The Duggans’ apprentice, Tiernan Loughran, drove the 11-year-old Rhyds Boots to win the day’s top graded trotting heat.