On Saturday 12th May, the BHRC Star Makers Series sponsored by the Standardbred Horse Sales Company (USA) kicked off with its first leg of nine at Tregaron. The Alexis Laidler-trained mare Laneside Layla held off a strong challenge from Colin Bevan's Laughing Buck to secure her place in the grand final, to be staged at Tir Prince Raceway on Saturday 14th July.
The series was developed for horses aged 4YO+ with lifetime earnings of £1000 or less. The remaining 8 heats are scheduled to be staged at a variety of hard and grass tracks across Scotland, England and Wales in the coming weeks.
Thirty-three horses were originally staked, with heat winners automatically progressing to the final. Those horses which have not won a heat, can enter the remaining heats an unlimited number of times in an attempt to secure their places in the final. The tenth horse in the final will be the highest point scorer from the heats (with a reserve list to account for subsequent withdrawals from the final).
The horses which have been staked for the series are:
Al Jolson
Ayr Freedom
Blytheview JJ (1 run)
Borntorun (1 run)
Brywins Mayhem
Cash All
Ceiron JD
Coalford Insignia
Coffee Mate
Country Major
Dynaramic
Father Ted
Finley Wells
GDs Hurricane
Hawthorns Melinda
Hilltop North Art (1 run)
Ithon Orbit
Ladyford Warrior
Laneside Layla (1 run – WINNER OF HEAT 1)
Laughin Buck (1 run)
Lyons Aceofspades
Lyons Comet
Lyons Saint Marys (1 run)
Mahogany Charmer
Natalie Camden
Olivia Camden
Rhyds Girlpower
Rodney Camden
Soul Searcher
Springhill Calaburn
The Dark Destroyer
The Lion King
Wye Joels Best
The remaining heats are as follows:
Corbiewood – 18th May
Presteigne – 25th May
Corbiewood – 1st June
Amman Valley – 3rd June
Tir Prince – 9th June
Evenjobb – 10th June
Corbiewood – 21st June
Pikehall – 1st July
The grand final at Tir Prince, the home of the Crock of Gold, has an estimated purse of £6000 and will be the feature race on the card on Saturday 14th July. With entries from all corners of the UK, the series has captured the imaginations across the board and promises to be a competitive and prestigious event.
British Harness Racing would like to take this opportunity to thank the Standardbred Horse Sales Company (USA) for their continued support of harness racing in the United Kingdom and hope that this series will become a regular event in the calendar in years to come.
by Sarah Thomas, for Harnesslink