BALTIMORE-BASED reinsman Eoin Murphy is on the crest of a wave at present.

BY TIM KELLEHER

In a week when he was selected to represent Ireland at the European Apprentice Trotting Championships at Dundalk Stadium in August, the apprentice electrician drove two winners both for his retained stable, IB Stables at Lyre.

The IB Stables enjoyed a great weekend at The Red John Memorial, and the Murphy Bros-owned yard continued that run.

IB Paddington has been a great servant for them and the eight-year-old homebred got an overdue success in the Grade D-A Handicap Pace. The son of Foreclosure was an even money favourite in the ring and wasn’t for catching when the action got underway.

Twenty minutes earlier, Gentleman Coglais provided Murphy with the opening leg of his double. Again, the pair were in front from the start of the mile contest and stayed on well to lead home Italia Du Mont.

‘It’s a great honour to represent your country in any sport and I am really looking forward to Dundalk in a few weeks’ time. Look, some of the European-based apprentices are full-time at trotting and would have plenty of experience but we take our chances and enjoy the day,’ Murphy said.

Jamie Hurley from Reenascreena is having a great season. He added another two wins to his tally and kept himself well in touch for the Irish Field National Drivers Championship.

Graal Du Dollar has been the standard bearer for the Hurley yard and once again put in a five-star display for Goleen-based owner John O’Sullivan in the Grade B & A Trot. The pair ran out a seven-length winner from I Want You Back and the clock stopped at 2.00.1, the fastest time for trotters over a mile at the new track.

Hurley had to work a lot harder to land the money in the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine sponsored Future Broodmares Trot. Homa, who won on both days the previous weekend, went to the front from Comete Des Landes and Hot to Trot. Not much changed until the three-quarter mile marker where Hotesse Du Chassin joined Homa up front. Turning for home the pair were as one with Hotesse Du Chassin getting up in the dying strides to win by a neck. The winner is owned by James Hurley, Douglas Byrne and Dylan O’Reilly.

Racing opened with The Future Broodmares Pace, with Emily Rose the punters’ choice. Drimoleague-based publican Derry McCarthy sent this daughter of Lazarus to the front and the pair didn’t see a rival until late in the contest when Anglesey Hall came with a late run, but Emily Rose held on to win by three-quarters of a length.

This winning favourite set a trend for the day with seven out of eight ‘jollies’ winning on the day.

Next up, Meadowbranch Adios, who was all the rage in the betting, won for Dublin-based driver John Richardson. Destin Du Larre was another visiting horse to land the odds for the Quill Bros from Kenmare. Lee Kelly, who is based at The Newtown Stud in North County Dublin, and Check Out Lou came out on top in the Grade F-D Pace, winning by seven lengths in a career-best 2.00.4.

The second series of Champion Stakes for pacers in the three- and four-year-old divisions are next on the menu at Lyre on Sunday, 26th, with a 2.30pm start time. On the August bank holiday weekend, racing returns to Dunmanway for the two-day Ballabuidhe Festival.