Wales, UK – The 25th anniversary of the Breeders Crown UK and Ireland featured a grand Silver Jubilee celebration of harness racing Tuesday with seven Championship Finals held at Tir Prince Raceway.
Even Mother Nature helped in the celebration by clearing away the rain clouds by the early afternoon so by post time at 7 pm the skies were clear and the track was fast.
The first Breeders Crown event was the two-year-old colt pace final and it started off with a bang as Meadowbranch Titus and driver John Richardson stuffed race favorite Miraculous (Patrick Kane, Jr.) into the two-hole after the two fought to the opening quarter in :29.1.
Then Kane sent his top colt to the front before the half mile in 1:00.9 and then thought they might have been home free going to the three-quarters in 1:32.1. But no one told that to No Stoppin and driver William “Rock” Laider as they came first-over to nearly collar the race leader.
As they came down the stretch, Miraculous was able to dig in again and hold off Meadownbranch Titus to win by a half-length in 2:03.5 with No Stoppin a close third.
Sired by Arts Conquest and trained by Sally Teeboon, Miraculous is owned by S. Arnie Flower. Miraculous was named because her dam, Another Mattie, was supposedly infertile.
Due to a large number of entries, the Breeders Crown Championshop final for two-year-old pacing fillies was divided into two divisions.
The first division saw Gabriella Camden and driver Hugh Menzies go right to the front and never looked back, winning by three open lengths over Reeds Scarlet (Mick Lord) and Frisco Roller (Andrew Cairns) in 2:05.8. The daughter of Pro Bono Best is trained by Wm Hamish Muirhead and is owned by Patrick Anderson.
In the second division, Jessie’s Conquest and driver/trainer/owner Marc Thomas Jones would not be denied a trip to victory to the winner’s circle as the led from start to finish in 2:05.1.
The pocket sitting Meadowbranch Queen (John Richardson) tried coming after Jessie’s Conquest around the final turn but Jessie’’s Conquest just kicked in another gear to win with ease by two and one-half open lengths.
The Breeders Crown three-year-old colt final was thought to be another easy triumph for the top colt Titanium and owner/driver Vicki Gill, but no one told that to J Ms Hallstar and driver Mick Lord.
After an early battle for the lead, J Ms Hallstar was in control with Titanium sitting right on their back through fractions of :30.2, 1:02.3 and 1:32.7. Gill then pulled the pocket to mount their challenge coming down the stretch, but Titanium started to bear out and J Ms Hallstar held tight and soundly won by two and one-half lengths in 2:01.5.
Titanium was second with Rhyds Gambler (Rock Laidler) third. Sired by Hasty Hall, J Ms Hallstar is trained by Sheelagh Lord and is owned by Jim Murdock. That victory was just the start for the driver/trainer duo of Mick and Sheelagh Lord.
In the very next race, Mick and Sheelagh Lord returned to the winner’s circle with Rhyds Art as he wired the field in the Breeders Crown final for four-year-old mares in 2:03.8.
After a brief dogfight for the lead to the opening quarter mile with Wellfield Ruby (Sarah Allen), Rhyds Art then led the rest of the way, winning by four open lengths for the West Riding Partnership. Camden Claire (Andrew Cairns) with Wellfield Ruby third.
The gustiest and fastest performance of the night came in the Breeders Crown Championship Final for four-year-olds.
Rhyds Design and driver Alan Haythornthwaite tried for the early lead but was nearly denied by The Apprentice (Marc Thomas Jones) as they sped to the fast opening quarter of the night in :28.2.
Once thought to be settle on the front end as the came to the half mile pole in :59.5, Rhyds Design was then faced with another challenge as Camden Tino (Gavin Murdock) started up first-over and began grinding their way towards to the front.
By the three-quarter mile marker in 1:29.6, Camden Tino was still on the move despite being parked out since before the half mile. They were able to wear down Rhyds Design and then hold off a late charge by Imjustalittleguy (Richard Haythornthwaite) to win by a half-length in 2:00. Rhyds Design was third.
Also trained by Gavin Murdock, Camden Tino is sired by Yankee Lariat and is owned by Eamon Crane.
The most action of any of the Breeders Crown Championship races came in the last event of the night for three-year-old fillies.
After a brief battle for the early lead, Madison Camden (Andrew Cairns) held control with Someone Like You (Alan Haythornthwaite) in the pocket and Intensity (Marc Thomas Jones) first-over at the opening quarter mile in :29.8.
Then at the half mile in 1:01.8, it became an early cavalry charge as Shesgotanattitude and John Richardson did the unthinkable and came three-wide around the turn leading to the backstretch. But the move turned into a winning one as Shesgotanattitude cleared to the lead by the three-quarters in 1:31.7.
But three-wide moves were not done in the race yet. Meadowbranch Millie (Noel Ryan) also came three-wide with Frisco Frisk in the mix as they came down the stretch.
Richardson was able to keep Shesgotanattitude game to the wire, winning by a half-length in 2:03.6 with Meadowbranch Millie second and Frisco Frisk third.
“It was really a great night,” said David Wilson, Chairman of the Breeders Crown UK and Ireland. “We had a good crowd, great racing and no rain. What more could you ask for!”
By Steve Wolf, for Harnesslink.com