Belfast, IE – It was a day to remember for harness racing driver Greg Dean at Racetime Raceway on Saturday when the Dunmurray man partnered 4 horses to victory for the first time in a driving career spanning almost five decades and what a day to do it on, his father Patsy’s Memorial Cup day meeting.
Generously sponsored by the Dean family with added prizemoney for all races, the event consisted of 3 heats with the first two home in each qualifying for a grand final. Those that did not qualify had a second bite of the cherry by entering a consolation pace with a square trot completing the programme of six races.
In the first heat, Dean steered Fairdays Dixie to a comprehensive three length victory over the skewbald Big Pete who denied race favourite Rio Bravo by a half length for the runner-up spot in 2:04.9. A gamble was landed in the penultimate heat when Ryan Hanson drove Mystical Carbs to a tactical victory over Waverly Jane and Lucky Cam in 2:02.2 with the margins four lengths and another length. The remaining heat provided the second leg of the eventual four-time for Greg Dean when Monugs Boy came from the third line to defeat Ladyford Jim by three lengths in 2:01.9 with North Art a further ½ length in arrears back in third.
Before the grand final a consolation pace sponsored by track bookmaker Charlie Finnegan was held for those who did not qualify for the feature and six went to post in this with Rio Bravo and Frisco Hold Up the joint 6/4 favourites. It looked as if punters had got it right as Peter Lyttle led them into the home straight with a commanding lead but Eamonn Griffin aboard rank outsider Hilltop North Art had other ideas and he came with a blistering late challenge to nail the luckless Rio Bravo in the shadows of the post. The time was a respectable 2:04.5 given the winners 25 yard starting deficit with Derrybeg which was trailing 35 yards also flying at the finish to snatch third. The distances were 1 length and a half length.
In the final of the Patsy Dean Memorial itself controversy reigned as favourite Monugs Boy and Mystical Carbs had a coming together with a circuit to run and although Monugs Boy emerged the best out of the altercation and went on to score impressively by eight lengths in 2:00.7, a seasons record.
A stewards enquiry was immediately called. After much deliberations by the panel of stewards on duty it was adjudged that although driver of Monugs Boy had caused interference on the top bend, this interference was not serious enough as to affect the end result as the margin of victory was so substantial. The result was therefore allowed to stand but Dean had a heavy fine imposed as to his driving of the race and a warning as to future driving etiquette regarding clearance whilst overtaking.
Monugs Boy was presented with the Patsy Dean Memorial Cup for 2020 to the delight of the Dean family who were present. The runner up spot went to Waverly Jane who fended off a rallying Mystical Carbs.
The afternoons square trot named after that mercurial grey mare RB Greystar was robbed of some its lustre when likely favourite Socrates Du Noyer was an absentee due to the recent increased Covid-19 regulations in Southern Ireland. Owner of Scorates Finbarr Brickley normally travels up from Cork, a 510 mile round trip every fortnight to compete but with that county now in lockdown Brickley was forced to withdraw on the morning of raceday.
That effectively left the trot a match race between Terry Hendersons Evan Jive (OTD) and Thomas Bennetts Bocage De Fornet which was partnered by man of the moment Greg Dean. Once the contest got underway a break in stride by Evan Jive on the first circuit handed the initiative to his sole rival and Bocage De Fornet was never headed thereafter eventually scoring by a distance in 3:18.3 for the one and a half mile trip.
This win made it a four-timer on the day for driver Dean and the Dunmurray man was visibly emotional after racing having absorbed the enormity of this achievement on what his fathers memorial race day.
Guest of honour on the day Brenda Hudson presented the rosettes and trophies to all winners and it was great to see living legend Brenda back on the track after a serious bout of illness which had affected her ability to participate or spectate at any harness racing meeting for the past 2 years. Looking a picture of health Brenda was surrounded by well-wishers all afternoon its hoped that she will become a regular again at Racetime in 2021.
All in all it was a fantastic days harness racing in golden autumnal sunshine and NISA have announced their next race meeting will be held at Racetime on Saturday October 24th where the feature will be the Anto Russell Memorial heats and final, a painted mile for skewbald pacers and a free-for-all.
Entries are now being taken for this meeting by NISA reps.
by Thomas Bennett, for Harnesslink