There was a seismic shift in the ante-post betting for the Ladbrokes Vincent Delaney Memorial Colts Classic on Friday night when leading oddsmaker Dan Carlin slashed the price of John Howard's Tyrion Hanover down to 4/5 making him the outright favourite following a scintillating victory at Scottish track Corbiewood where the first of the UK prep races was held.
Tyrion Hanover went to post a 1/2 red hot favourite for this engagement following an impressive debut against older competition last week when running green but still finished a close second in an impressive time.
Settled at the back this time around behind early leader Mikayla Camden the bright bay colt was gradually steered into contention by regular reinsman Richard Haythornthwaite before cruising into a commanding lead to win by an unextended 12 lengths in 2:05.9, a stellar time considering the track is 2.5 times around for the mile trip. Share A Smile ran on well to be second ahead of Frankie Camden that collared third from Hawthorns Melinda.
By Somebeachsomewhere out of Tiz To Dream (Grinfromeartoear) he was a $14,000 purchase at Harrisburg by Morecambe's John Howard and a shrewd buy considering the dam paced 1:50.2 and racked up over $600,000 on the track.
Event promoter Derek Delaney and Bernie Kelly flew in from Dublin and were on hand for the prize giving and thanked the Scottish for the incredible hospitality shown to them by the SHRC.
Two other races for juvenile pacers were also held last weekend at Welsh track Aberystwyth which was celebrating its 20th year anniversary as a two day festival of harness racing and the top purses on offer drew the cream of the division out to make their mark.
First up where the fillies and 10 went to post in this £1300 event sponsored by Porterstown Haulage with Marc Elvins Rhyds Mystique emerging a cosy ¾ length winner from Greenhilldebatable with Fools Delight another length back in third spot in a respectable 2:14.8 for the turf mile.
Rhyds Mystique by Hasty Hall out of CP's Village Jigsaw now remains unbeaten in two starts and is incidentally a half-sister to 2015 ITHRF Winter Horse Of The Year Rhyds Ponder (who was also owned Marc Elvin).
Next to strut their stuff were the colts and Rhyds Ideal, a £48,000 yearling at Builth Wells sale last October was outright favourite for this £1300 contest sponsored by Dragonheart Services.
Chief market rival Rhyds Decoy however vanquished the Scottish hot-pot with consummate ease under reinsman Andrew Cairns who barely moved a muscle throughout the mile.
Carrying a lofty reputation into the race by the colt by Hasty Hall out of CPR delivered in spades comfortably defeating Share A Smile and Carlo Camden in 2:14.1 seven tenths of a second quicker than the fillies ran 30 minutes earlier.
Both winners odds were trimmed by Dan Carlin after their performances at Aberystwyth, but as its stands its Tyrion Hanover that is causing Irelands leading bookmaker sleepless nights with betting liabilities now into the tens of thousands.
All eyes will be now on another Welsh track, Tir Prince, next Saturday night 16th July when the 2 year olds colts and filles are all set to lock horns again in another round of prep races. The dream remains wells and truly alive for some, like the owners of Tyrion Hanover Rhyds Decoy and Rhyds Mystique but for others the road to the Vincent Delaney Finals weekend at Portmarnock on 13th/14th August is just starting……..exciting times ahead for all concerned!