Dublin based driver Billy Roche stole the headlines recording a treble on the opening fixture of the ITHRF summer harness racing season at the splendid Inchadoney Beach races on Sunday.

Roche, one of the leading drivers on the Irish circuit kicked off his three winners aboard Celtic Panda, a fantastically coloured Skewbald, who is owned and trained by Craig Cullen also from North County Dublin.

This son of Dreamwork led from the start and never looked in danger of defeat and his connections have targeted the “Painted Mile” in June, a coloured only race, in Portmarnock for this five-year-old.

The “Le Trot Prix De Wild Atlantic Way“ for French trotters saw seven French imports face the starter over one and a half miles on the sand.

Volcan Erem, a winner in Portmarnock last week, led for the opening six furlongs. Here Une Star Piya joined and led and with two furlongs to go looked a winner, but Roche was only waiting in the wings and pounced late on Rital Brio to win by three lengths.

The winner is owned by Joe “Slim”Gannon who commented after that this consistent son of Capprico was holding up the form of his two previous placed efforts in Portmarnock.

Lyons Monty owned by Brian “Redser” Redmond took the final top grade pace, giving Roche the third of his wins and sent the large Dublin contingent home happy.

The winner was sent to the front from a gate draw and held off the late challenge of race favourite Maximus Lad with Ringo Star running on to take third.

Saunders Picasso with Mike Goggin Jr. in the seat, played his cards late, allowing Hillside Dartanian and Scorpion to scrap it out at the front before overtaking the leaders close to home. Further wins are on the way for this five-year-old son of Play With A Full Deck .

Pan Cam Drift looks another with a bright future. Lightly campaigned by owners in her three-year-old season (not fully developed according to connections), picked off her rivals with consummate ease and is one to watch for one of the big handicaps later in the Summer.

IB Rapido with Seamus Quill in the bike was another to win in smart fashion, taking over from early leader Tim’s Surprise and winning from the unlucky Lyons Stallone who didn’t get out of the traffic until late.

The ITHRF season depends on all grass venues which are all working farms in the area and a delay in the harvest at the Lisangle venue has meant a change in dates and venues so the next meetings will be as follows:

        Sunday May 31^st DUNMANWAY

        Sunday June 7^th CLONAKILTY SHOW

         Sunday June 14^th LISANGLE             

         By Tim Kelleher

R

    RESULTS

    GRADE E F & G

1. Kelleher Bros PAN CAM DRIFT M Kelleher
2. M Duggan ROKOCOKO Owner
3. J O Leary MY LIGHTING BLUE M O Brien

DIST 3l 2l TIME 2.17.9  SP 4/7 5/2 5/1 6 Ran

GRADE E F & G

1. C Cullen KELTIC PANDA B Roche
2. Kelleher Bros MEADOWBRANCH KIKI M Kelleher
3. IB Stables IB MAXIMUS D Murphy

DIST 4l 6l TIME 2.12.8 SP 7/2 4/1 EV 8 Ran

GRADE D & E

1. Quill Bros IB RAPIDO S Quill
2. O Reilly / O Driscoll LYONS STALLONE C O Reilly
3. M Goggin SAUNDERS PARIS Owner

DIST 1/2l 6l TIME 212.7 SP 4/1 3/1 3/1 8 Ran

Prix De Wild Atlantic Way Le Trot

1. J Gannon RITAL BRIO B Roche  
2. Inishford Syn SILVIANO BELLO D Murphy
3. P Hill UNE STAR PIYA Owner

DIST 3l 3l TIME 3.12.0 SP 5/4 EV 4/1 7 Ran

GRADE F “GRAB A GRAND SWEEPSTAKE “

1. M Goggin Jnr SAUNDERS PICASSO Owner
2. Pete Hill HILLSIDE DARTANIAN Patrick Hill
3. J O Mahony SCOPPION T O Leary

DIST 1l 1l TIME 2.10.0 SP EV 4/5 3/1 5 Ran

GRADE D C B & A

1. B Redmond LYONS MONTY B Roche
2. D Sherlock MAXIMUS LAD P Kane Jnr
3. F brickley RINGO STAR C Brickley

DIST 3l 2l TIME 2.08.1 SP 3/1 EV 5/1 8 Ran