This Thursday evening in Essex, England, a first-of-its-kind takes place in the horse racing world as Chelmsford City Racecourse, a nighttime thoroughbred track, will host two Trotter Francais races as part of their race program.
Track management at Chelmfords City has been working diligently with officials at TROTBritain and after months of working together, including trials on the track's dirt course, the mixing of both racing breeds is taking place on November 10.
The race meeting is drawing not just national attention in the UK, but international racing interest as dignitaries from Le Trot, the French trotting governing body, will be in attendance.
Perhaps the most important person who will have their hand on the pulse (or better yet his voice on the action) is none other than track announcer Darren Owen, who will be calling both the thoroughbred and the two LeTrot events on Thursday. It will be the first time that Owen has ever called races at Chelmsford City.
Owen is one of the premier race callers in all of the UK and Ireland. His career has seen the Middleham, UK resident in the announcers' booth for not just thoroughbred and harness racing, but also steeplechase runs too. He has called races not only throughout the UK and Ireland, but also in the United States.
"Firstly, the link with the French trotting authority and the Le Trot series has seen a significant improvement in the quality of the trotting races in the UK & Ireland in recent seasons." Owen said.
"We have seen how the Irish harness racing has grown as a result of their links with France to the degree where they are now full members of the Union of European Trotting (UET) and seem to have growing support from the Irish Government." Owen added, "Not to mention the fact they have a full French PMU fixture next May.
"The Le Trot series in the UK have ensured we are now watching a better standard of trotter and this week's races at Chelmsford should be embraced by all fancy of the sport." Owen said.
"Harness racing is an extremely minority activity in the British Isles, a sport alien to most punters (horse players) in this part of the world." Owen explained. "So to stage races on the ' big stage' that is to say a thoroughbred track, at a thoroughbred meeting, is a massive positive for the game."
Punters not making the trek to Chelmsford City to watch the races live Thursday event, will still have the opportunity to watch and wager on the Chelmsford City program. Both host track Betfred and William Hill wagering online and through betting shops and at other racetracks in the UK and Ireland, will have the entire race card available.
"We, in harness racing, must now put on an impressive show this week," Owen said, "as our aim is to win 'new friends' and get people taking an interest and betting. I'm under no illusion, this is a very long road, and in truth an uphill climb as horse players have a great many betting opportunities here, betting on flat and steeplechase meetings, as well as international thoroughbred races.
"This week is a step in the right direction," Owen added, "and the TROTBritain group are to be congratulated on their promotion and development of the Le Trot series that seems to be growing. In fact, next year we will see the Le Trot series expanded to three-year-old races.
"Unlike continental Europe," Owen said, "we in the UK and Ireland stage pacing races in addition to trots. We are very proud of where we are on the pacing scene and have seen substantial investment in yearlings, largely due to the Vincent Delaney juvenile races.
"Hopefully this growth in the pacers will grow as will our trotting program under the Le Trot scheme," Owen explained, "as I feel we need both types of races – this seems to work in North America and Australasia, and the Irish seem to be able to make it work with both types of races and at the same time they are recognized by continental Europe, a region totally against pacing.
"So, hopefully, TROTBritain can continue their excellent progress," Owen said, "with the support of our governing body, the British Harness Racing Club, building more bridges with France and ensuring a competitive trotting program. The Le Trot initiative can certainly be financially rewarding for anyone getting involved as the trotters are regularly racing for decent purses.
"Several years ago a series of paces sponsored by William Hill were staged at the end of thoroughbred cards at Wolverhampton." Owen related. "I was lucky enough to call these races and the betting handle was excellent, so hopefully punters will get involved with the betting markets offered on the Chelmsford Trots by Betfred and William Hill.
"I'm looking forward to my first visit to Chelmsford as this is the only track I have yet to visit in the UK," Owen elaborated, "and it will certainly be challenge calling trots on a thoroughbred track.
"Bear in mind that UK thoroughbred tracks generally are bigger than their North American counterparts," Owen explained, "as you can imagine with harness racing, the drivers in their colours are sitting behind the horse, not on top, so as they race up the long backstretch, as I have experienced at Musselburgh in the past, one sees horses but no drivers! As a fulltime thoroughbred race caller in the UK, this will be a great thrill describing two trotting races to the wider audience.
"I hope that everyone in the sport will embrace what's about to happen this week at Chelmsford." Owen said, "Whether your bag is pacing or trotting, this is harness racing, hopefully taking a step in the right direction and I wish a hearty 'Good Luck' to TROTBritain, the Le Trot series and to the officials at Chelmsford City for all working together to make this unique event happen."
We all hope that Darren Owen has a good pair of binoculars come Thursday evening!
The two Le Trot races are scheduled as the last two races on the program in order for the track crew to be able to roll the dirt surface and compact it for the trotters to race on. Both events will be held over a distance of one mile one furlong on the Polytrack surface. Each race has ten horses going to post.
For more information, visit http://www.chelmsfordcityracecourse.com/.
By Steve Wolf, for TROTBritain