Big money changes hands as sulkies race along main road at sunrise

Four sulkies raced along a main road at sunrise near Limerick city yesterday in a dawn challenge for big money.

Startled motorists were confronted with the two-wheeled, horse-drawn vehicles on the main Limerick/Tipperary road at around 6.15am.

The sulky race was followed by four vans carrying cheering spectators, who reportedly had major bets on the race.

One local source said: “There was a crowd of men and they were flashing huge wads of notes after they pulled into the side of the Ballysimon Road about three miles from the city. At first light, the race started with the four sulky drivers chasing along one side of the road. Traffic built up behind the race.”

Supporters hung out of the pursuing vans, cheering on the sulky drivers.

Gardaí at Roxboro Road Garda Station were alerted and brought a halt to the dawn race meeting shortly after 6.30am.

Supt Daniel Keane said: “A Garda patrol car was on the scene quickly and stopped what was going on within 15 minutes. It is most unusual to have this sulky racing at this time of the day, as the people involved would not be known for getting up at this hour of the morning. Usually we hear about these races taking place on Sundays on more remote roads.”

Supt Keane said the drivers of the four vans following the sulky race will be prosecuted under the Roat Traffic Act in relation to the driving of the vehicles.

He said: “We will be considering taking prosecutions against those involved in driving the sulkies, arising out of the manner in which they were travelling on the road.”

It is believed some of those taking part and the spectators reside at Clonlong halting site.

Supt Keane said that, due to the early hour of the race, there was no major disruption of traffic and once the gardaí started taking names, proceedings came to a quick halt.

Supt Keane said: “There was a sizeable crowd watching.”

Vice chairman of Limerick County Council, John Egan, who lives in the area, said sulky racers “regularly commandeer a stretch of road”.

Mr Egan said: “I came on them myself about three weeks ago at around eight one morning when they were preparing for racing, but yesterday’s one took place at an exceptionally early hour. There’s big money changing hands at these races.”