Tir Prince’s first race meeting was a big success, once again being blessed by dry, fair weather. At 1pm there was still heavy rain but with a good wind and some sun the track was a little slow at 7pm but by the end of the night was fast and a perfect racing track.

David Senior comments “There was a good holiday crowd together with a knowledgable trotting contingent watching a very competitive nights racing.

The night started with a maiden race all racing for the first time. The race was dominated from lanes 5 and 6 Poet Chi in Motion and Forgeside Dot Com taking them out in 30 seconds for the first quarter. In the end Vicky Gill on Poet Chi in Motion just pipped Marc Jones on Forgeside Dot Com into second, Mick Lord finished strong on Rhyds Topaz in 3rd but left himself too much to do. In the low grade trot John Foy led from start to finsih on Lindys Proud, its first UK start beating Paul Brightwell on Emerald Tara Jane and Paul Mather on Sheila B Devotion into 2nd and 3rd.

The 3rd race saw a low grade pace with a mix of maidens and low grades. Joe Ripley on Flashman took them out at an unsustainable 28.8 and 60.3 seconds for the 1/4 nad 1/2 mile but faded into 4th but this was only its 2nd race and is bound to win soon. In the end the more experienced Brywins Thats Life driven by the even more experienced Ian Pimlott won in 2.041 5 lenghts ahead of American Gigolo and King of the Wind.

We knew from that time the track was quickening and the 4th race saw Alan Haythornthwaite on My Immortal win a cracking race in 2.023 (giving 10 yards) beating Marc Jones into another 2nd on Wexford Beach with Colin Bevan on Mahogany Import (a further 10 yards back) into 3rd.

Alan had a second winner in the next race on the impressive Whitestar Hanover in 2.028 (from the 10 yard line) from the just as impressive Marc Jones on Eternall Lobell in 2.033 from the 30 yard line, bad luck for Marc with three 2nds but I am sure his luck will change soon. The well fancied Coalford Bubbagump was in 3rd.

The final race pitched the Tir Prince and UK 1 1/4 mile track record holder He’s For Real against a strong field in a 1 mile preferred free for all. This is a real class horse having won over £80,000 his cause helped by a lift in the handicap because the horse has just turned 10 year old. The race was taken out a cracking pace by Willy Armer on Cutchall Hanover in 29.2, 59.7 and 1.289 this horse has race sub 1.59 here so this pace was sustainable but approaching the final turn all six horses were in contention and it was impossible to pick a winner but unfortunately Cutchall  broke and had to drop back but still finished 4th. The pace was now taken up by Jonathan Dunne on the majestic He’s For Real who put in a spurt that broke the field and it eased up winning in 1.587. Mick Lord was finishing really strong on Rhyds Desire who finished 2 lenghts behind in 1.591 with a further 3 lenghts to Pam Haythornthwaite on Scoot around again finishing like a train in 1.597.

The next meeting is a Crock of Gold meeting on Monday 5th July following Aberystwyth when I hope as amny as possible will stop here on their way home for what should be a top class meeting. I hope this year we will see the first 1.56 race in the UK at Tir Prince this year.”