DUBLIN, IRELAND – The inaugural Sire Stakes Ireland series is set to take place on Sunday 16th August at Portmarnock Raceway this summer and committee chairman James Delany has revealed that the new series also has a main sponsor, Doyle Air Cargo out of Dundas, Ontario in Canada.
Commenting on his sponsorship, Brian Doyle, the managing director of Doyle Air Cargo quipped that “having been solely responsible for importing virtually all the sires and dams represented in the series it’s great to give something back to the breeders. Some of whom are clients of long standing. It is an honour to sponsor the series and it hallmarks our commitment to seeing harness racing develop and prosper in Ireland”
Doyle Air Cargo is synonymous for the importation of Standardbreds into the British Isles including stallions, broodmares and yearlings. His firm has built up a reputation honed over two decades delivering a professional service to all UK and Irish clients ensuring repeat business year after year with Harrisburg his busiest period of the calendar.
Nine first season pacers have been staked up for the 2-year-olds Ireland Sire Stakes division where 3 separate sires are represented. Of these, Kikikolt (Western Hanover/Katies Lucky Lady), is the overwhelming dominant sire with five runners followed by Crown Manhattan (Northern Luck/Wild Proposition) with three and new sire to the ranks, Urban Guy (Artiscape/Tiburon Jane).
Six of the nine are in training with John Richardson and Willy Flanagan of the renowned Meadowbranch facility in Oldtown. Among those is Meadowbranch Queen out of Churchill Queen, arguably the most prolific broodmare of the last decade in Ireland boasting classic winners Romeo, Frank, Liath, Gigolo, Josh and Demon with all bearing the famed Meadowbranch prefix.
In the 3-year-old division five different sires are represented including Kikicolt, Earned Income (Dream Away/Kleen Acquisition), Share The Delight (Bettors Delight/Angels Share), Best Sunshine (Cambest/Matts Sunshine) and Galiano (Astreos/Whats The Buzz).
Another interesting statistic is that 8 of the 13 three-year-olds engaged to run in the series are from US imported dams. Again the Meadowbranch training operation are mob-handed staking no less than five runners including the first four in the ante post betting, Meadowbranch Matt, Meadowbranch Millie, Kickasskatie and Shesgotanattitude.
By Thomas Bennett, for Harnesslink.com