YORK, UK – Last Saturday York Raceway in York, United Kingdom staged its 14th annual Derby and Oaks festival for 3 year old colts and fillies with a bumper attendance witnessing some top class harness racing.
Sixteen of the UK’s best bred colts and geldings lined up in 2 heats of the Derby with the first heat going to the Irish bred Springhill Glory for trainer/driver combination of Sally Teeboon and Patrick Kane in 1:59.5 with Frankie Camden and Rhyds Decoy filling the minor placings.
The second heat went to Irish trained raider Benny Camden who comfortably disposed of his nine rivals to win by a distance in 2:00.5. Father Ted and Rhyds Rock Star filled the frame and the scene was now set for an epic final.
The Oaks also featured twelve of the UKs finest bred fillies and the opening heat went to Viccy Elvin’s phenomenal female Rhyds Mystique in 2:00.3. Driven by her trainer Vicky Gill the partnership defeated Coalford Honey and Crosshill Ace in 2:00.3.
The remaining heat was won by Olivia Camden who held on to defeat a fast finishing Greenhill Debatable and Teatime Preacher in 2:02.9.
In the final of the Oaks, Rhyds Mystique tracked Olivia Camden in the opening quarter before assuming command and from there on in never seen another rival, striding out purposefully to score in 2:01.4 from a rapidly closing Greenhill Debatable and Crosshill Ace.
The winner, by Hasty Hall out of CPs Village Jigsaw now remains unbeaten in the UK against her own sex and will continue the one they all have to beat in all the big classics coming up for fillies in 2017.
The Derby final was a much more competitive affair with heat winner Springhill Glory grabbing the rail and setting a blistering pace. Odds on favourite Benny Camden was content to sit in behind the leader at this stage but as the race progressed Rhyds Cocoa flashed up alongside Springhill Glory boxing Benny Camden in.
Just as it looked as if he was in a hopeless position trapped in behind a wall of horses, Benny Camden’s driver Alan Richardson sensed that Richard Haythornthwaite was struggling to hold his position aboard Rhyds Cocoa and then the gap finally opened in the stretch Benny Camden shot through it to win rather cheekily in 1:59.5.
A big crowd of Irish converged on the winners enclosure including owner Clive Kavanagh and trainer Christy “Hopper” Foran who had a spell as assistant trainer in the US back in the 1960’s and is still considered a master trainer of juveniles in Ireland despite being in the twilight of his career. When interview, driver Alan Richardson joked he always had the race in the bag and it was all relieved smiles in the winners photograph.
The biggest smile of the day however was reserved for Mick Welling, both owner of York Raceway and Camden Stud the breeder of Benny Camden. Established over a decade ago Camden Stud is the home of 6 stallions – Eagle Luck, My Panmar, Art Professor, Stonebridge Galaxy, Arts Conquest and Yankee Lariat aswell as a dozen or so select broodmares where all progeny carry the Camden prefix.
Pro Bono Best (now deceased) was one of the Camden Studs founding sires and is the sire of Camden Benny. His dam is the million dollar winner Electrical Art p,3,1:51 and one of Camden’s proven producers.
A beaming Welling confirmed on the day that Electrical Art now has a yearling by Eagle Luck currently being prepped for this years sale which will be held, as always, in October at the York venue.
To view the colts final on video click here.
To view the fillies final on video click here.
by Thomas Bennett, for Harnesslink