At the harness race meeting on Monday 9th August two mile records were smashed on the night that Track Directors Adam Williams and David Senior being interviewed by commentator Darren Owen, announced to the crowd that they would not be applying for any race dates for 2011 and as such the Crock of Gold meeting to be held on Monday 6th September would be their last meeting.

Adam expained to the crowd that it had been his father, Billy Williams’s dream was to have a world class half mile hard track at Towyn attracting the best horses from the British Isles and he had succeeded in this dream. He added however that each year it became harder and harder to justify the time, effort and money that harness racing consumed. Adam said that it was a heart wrenching, difficult decision but that it was inevitable. He finished off by saying the track is not closing but that Tir Prince would not be applying for any future dates.

David added that they had tried hard to get the business side of racing sorted and last Autumn they had spent several weeks in serious discussions with William Hill in an effort to get a special series in the betting shops in Autumn 2010, to be underwritten by Tir Prince. The decision by William Hill not to go ahead was purely based  on the lack of potential profit for them and for no other reason. Tir Prince now know in their heart of hearts that they will not be able to raise revenue by getting harness racing into the betting shops.The winter was to provide two further body blows, the understandable decision in the current climate for S4C to significantly reduce their budget for harness racing and for Tir Prince with four televised events in 2010 this was a significant reduction in income. The other body blow was the campaign started by the Chairman of the BHRC, Gordon Garnett, to strip the half mile hard tracks of their special status with regard to the Classic races, this started at the time that York had announced its closure and at a time when we thought that if anything the sport would have rallied around Tir Prince to try and ensure its survival. Ultimately the Chairman received broad support from the National Committee and the Classics were opened up to all tracks on a highest bid basis. Psychologically this was a big blow and the sport had spoken.    

Even with only six race meetings this year it is getting progressivly harder to attract enough horses and paying public to meet the costs of maintaing the track and facilities at their current level. Recently two Welsh Cup heats had to be cancelled with only 3 horses entered and the meeting on 26th July received the lowest number of horse entries ever  for a televised event.

He added that notwithstanding the problems the track was in marvellous condition and the racing this season has been superb and they want the Crock of Gold Finals meeting to be the best they have ever held.

The date for your diary is Monday 6th September anyone wishing to sponsor a race (all monies will be used for added monies) to contact Adam or David.

Ayr Mission wins Welsh Cup heat

Mark Elvin and family celebrate a great win in 2.007 giving 30 yards, a wonderful performance.

Gary Clark and family receiving Bucks Fizz trophy from David Senior

Crown Manahattan smashes mile record in 1min 56.8 sec

A wonderful nights racing at Tir Prince was capped off with a new mile record in the Crock of Gold heat when Crown Manhattan lowered its own record to 1.568 from 1/2 L from Laneside Lexus and 2 l from He’s For Real both were below the previous record in one of the best one mile race ever seen in Britain.

The full results are shown below

Tir Prince was once again blessed with another sunny night for a wonderful nights racing.

It was a good night for Andrew Cairns who won the first race for maidens in an electrifying 2.032 in a canter on Teddy Get Ready 7 lenghths ahead of Tallana and Cool Velvet, this horse is bound to move through the grades quickly.

Andrew Stenhouse drove Victory Storm to a close victory in the low grade Trot from Ebony Jane and Spike.

Race three saw some fireworks in a cracking low grade pace of 11 horses with Rocker Laidlaw on Mahogany Jasper just holding off Kelly Peacock on Next Generation, both given a time of 2.028 off the 10 yard mark with Mahogany Fame and Western Dreamer just a couple of lenghts behind in third and fourth.

The next race was the Jane Patterson 1.25 mile preferred free for all trot, a well established top class trot set up by John Blisset many years ago, this year Tir Prince and Trot Britain sponsored the race with a cup and rug supplied by John. The race proved to be a real cracker with Gary Clark giving a great drive on Uffra Girl just holding off Ian Pimlott who came very late on Staas Hazelhaar. The UK record was broken in 2.346 by Uffra Girl with Staas getting the same time 1/2 length behind with Peter Mather third on Iris De Linde in  a fast time of 2.36. Lets hope Jane would have been proud of the trotters.

The next race saw one of the big favorites of the night Dun Loaghaire give Rocker his second winner of the night and finished in 2.009 from the 10 yard mark, 2 lenghts ahead of the fast finishing Mark Elvin on Ayr Glory, the crowd cheered both horses all the way to the line and it was sure to impress the live TV audience. Ayr Mission was given 2.013 from the 20 yard mark a sub 2 minute comparative time. Jonathan Dunne was finishing fast on Portersdown Kirk but could not quite catch them.

At 10 pm with the night getting cooler and the floodlights and a western sunset lighting the night sky the crowd were anticipating the Crock of Gold heat over a mile. A late pull out was Doonbeg and the draw for position favoured Stoneriggs Chris in 1 with Pan Lubber in 2 and Hes For Real in 3 with Lanesdide Lexus in 4, the Fell team were disaapointed with the outside draw for Scoot Around. The tactics in the race were quite simple Andrew Cairns stayed in the lead from start to finish. Down the home straight the crowd were cheering wildly for their favourite but it was clear Cutchall Hannover had a great chance if it could get out but alas for Billy Armer he was boxed in and although Pam Haythornthwaite came with the usual late run on Scoot Around the draw proved vital. Stoneriigs Chris given 1.59 1 lenghth ahead of Cutchall Hanover in 1.592 and Scoot Around in 1.593 with opan Lubber in 4th.

The last race saw the closest finish of the night and the biggest smile also as Alan Haythornthwaite giving a masterly drive on White Star Hanover just a neck ahead of Kelly Peacock on Dalton both given 2.013 from the 10 yard mark with jonathan Dunne just a lenghth behind on Sorbrook Swallow in third. The big crowd went away happy and we now look forward to the 26th July when another heat of the Crock of Gold takes place.

David Senior announced today 11th May “We have been asked by the committee to support the new trotting series proposed for 2010. We have given a quick response with potential sponsorship of over £2000 and we have offered a slot on each of our four live televised nights. Our proposals are now with the committee for their perusal and we hope to confirm the arrangements at the NWSA meeting next Tuesday 18th May at 7pm.”

David Senior comments “We have now confirmed four live harness race TV dates with Rasus for 2010. All the dates will be on Monday starting at 7.30. The first three dates will feature heats of the Crock of Gold and Welsh Cup and will be on July 5th, July 26th and August 9th. With the famous Crock of Gold finals night to be held on September 6th.

There are two other non televised confirmed dates on Tuesday 2nd June start time 7pm and Monday August 2nd start time 7pm. Due to the difficulty in enticing enough horses at the end of August we cannot confirm any other dates although we have an unconfirmed date for Tuesday 16th August.

Following the fabulous racing here last season we are hoping that the coming season will be superb and that we will attract the best horses in Britain and good crowds to support them.

Anyone wishing to sponsor a race should contact myself or Gordon McCallum.”

Paul Mather would like everyone to know that together with Malcolm Ali and Bill Green he wishes to put on a series for top class trotters for 2010. Envisaged to be similar to The Crock of Gold series for pacers, heats would be staged at tracks around the country with potentially the final being staged on the Crock of Gold Final meeting at Tir Prince next September.

He hopes to advertise it in the next Calendar.

Anyone interested please contact Paul.

Tir Prince will commence racing on Tuesday 1st June 2010. Full dates will be available in the New Year but it seems that S4C will be back again next year with The Crock of Gold series and Welsh Cup. Details to follow.

A huge crowd assembled at Tir Prince to see one of the best fields assembled for a nights racing in the UK with 8 races including five free for alls on offer. Once again the weather was kind it was a walm balmy night with little or no breeze.

Earned Income winner of 2009 Crock of Gold

The first race was won by Stoneriggs Mystery driven by Rocker Laidlaw in 1.597 giving 10 yards an incredible time for a grade 2. The second race was a hotly contested grade 3 and 4 race with an upset caused by Ciaran Morrison on Vyrnwy Mark that improved well to fight off the strong finishing Srormy Sea by 1/2L with one of the fancied horses Portersdown Kirk in third.

The Star Trade Trophy FFA Trot was won by the wonderful trotter Stas Hazelhaar driven to perfection by Paul Mather with an electrifying turn of pace winning by 3l from the front runner Love Excalibur and Iris de Linde a neck back.

The Len Bach grade 5 and 6 pace was won by the very impressive Coalford Pride in 1.591, another rug winner, the horse had not won in its last 6 runs but in the hands of Andrew Cairns won by 6L from a posse on the line, after much deliberation Matty O was given 2nd with the same time as Pallet Hill Storm and Yankee Doodle Grande in 4th. The William Hill free for all was a humdinger of a race with the Shane Lee’s improving Dillingers Dream just holding off Mick Lord on Howards Contender by 1 1/2L in 1.596 with the fast finishing Cutchall Hanover and Strike Gold in third and fourth.

The crowd was growing noisier and the atmosphere was electric for the start of the Billy Williams free for all with the crowd asking “Can Doonbeg beat the best of British?”. The race was an absolute classic with the 10 horse field all being fully involved in the race and approaching the last bend it seemed any horse could win but Alan Haythornthwaite driving Matador Hall held its leading position and unleashed an unexpected electrifying turn of speed as the otheres faded into the distance. The race for first over the crowd cheered Alan along with an eye on the clock, could the track record go, the clock stopped at 1.576 the third fastest time at Tir Prince. The wily old campaigner Scoot Around was a marvellous second in 1.592 with two of the big favourities in third and fourth River Inny and Doonbeg. We look forward to seeing Doonbeg again when it has accliamitised to the British conditions.

Matador Hall wins the Billy Williams 2009

The draw for the first ever Welsh Cup final was unkind to the pre race favourite Immpartial, drawn 8 and kind to Megan Taff and Life’s a Beach drawn 1. After the draw the race was a lot more open and the race proved to a real cracker but in the end Life’s a Beach was 1st 1n  a time of 2.003 by 2 1/2 L from Immpartial with the wonderful 3 year old Wexford Beach in third and fast finishing Catscam in 4th.

LIFE'S A BEACH WINS FIRST WELSH CUP FINAL

The time was now after 10pm the weather was calm and the expectations extremely high. It was accepted that this was the greatest field ever assembled for the Crock of Gold final 8 superb horses. Would the draw have an impact on the results first out He’s For Real drawn 8, the crowd gasped now Crown Manhattan drawn 1, many cheered what a draw the other highly fancied Irish horses Ayr Glory and Earned Income drawn 3 and 5 respectively. The track was in fabulous condition and many of us expected the first sub 1.57 mile in the UK.

At 10 15 pm the horses paraded in front of the huge, knowledgable crowd, no one had left. The start car started the 1/4 mile to the start slowly all the horses in position, John Richardson on Crown Manhattan on the inside, the crowd wnt quiet then theyre off, huge cheers but before the first turn disaster fror Crown Manhattan it goes into a break, John pulls it back this proved to be the end of its real challenge. The other shock at the quarter only 29.9 slow for these fast horses, this was a tactical race nobody wanted to set the pace 1.027 for the half the slowest split of the night. However most of the crowd were following their own favorite, 1.328 at the 3/4 pole, now there was a huge noise as they approached the final turn it seemed every horse was going wide to get the best palce to attack the final straight but out of the pack only one horse emerged Earned Income, it seemed it was turbo charged as it made 5 lenghths in no time at all, it galloped to the line and the famous salute on the line by Alan Richardson but this time with the reins in both hands. A devastating 27.3 for the final quarter. This was a popular win for Alan and earned Income. There was a mass finish on the line with second going to He’s For Real with Pan Lubber and Blue Russian in third and fourth. A fabulous race to cap off a memorable world class nights of racing at Tir Prince. If the sport is going to make a real breakthrough in the UK surely it is under the lights on nights like these at Tir Prince.

O COME ALL YE FAITHFUL!

KIKI KOLT WINS CROCK OF GOLD 2008

If you love trotting then there is only one place to be on Monday night, Tir Prince in Towyn North Wales. The finest horses in Britain come together once a year for the finest single nights harness racing in the UK. This year is no exception as Tir Prince stages 8 races including 5 free for alls.

This night is always a special occasion the first Crock of Gold final was won by Frisco Titan in 1.594 in 2004 (then a track record) in 2005 Scoot Around won in 1.588 (new record) and again in 2006 in dire conditions. In 2007 we had the controversial disqualification of Galliano (Alan Richardson drives Earned Income tonight) with the eventual winner being Connors Dragon in 1.586. Last year Kiki Kolt won in a tactical race. In the meantime the track record was lowered to 1.581 by the Big Guy then by Lyons Mach 1 in the Billy Williams FFA last year but earlier this year Crown Manhattan lowered it to 1.574 in a heat of the Crock of Gold. Other notable winners here this year were Ayr Glory just beating Laneside Lexus and Blue Russian in 1.584 and He’s For Real who smashed the 1 1/4 mile British record in 2.286 just beating River Inny by 1 length. The final also includes Earned Income double winner at Tregaron, Terripan Hanover and Bon Jasper.

DOONBEG WITH JONATHAN DUNNE

We also have the Billy Williams FFA that includes Doonbeg the $1 million winner just added to the Portersdown stables. I am really looking forward to see if he can handle the conditions at Tir Prince. It is in a fantastic 10 horse field up against some really good horses Laneside Lexus, River Inny etc etc etc. The track record went in this race last year and if the conditions are right (as I write the forecast is for light rain) then 1.56 and a new UK  mile record is a possibility.

The Welsh Cup final FFA is a very open race, local horse Catscam a multi winner here this year won in 2.015 last week in blustery conditions and Immpartial has won its last 3 racxes. In the William Hill FFA should have another fast race and all 9 will fancy their chances with Cutchall Hanover and Strike Gold have ran under 1.59 here this year. The trot mile record is also under threat in the Star Trade trophy FFA if Stas Hazelhaar has a good run.

The card is finished off with a very competitive grade 5 and 6 race for the Len Bach trophy with 4 Irish entries competing against Art Hall, Gonatray and Pallethill Storm to name but 3 that fancy their chances. In the grade 3 and 4 race John Richardson’s under 2 minute Tailgate Princess gets 10 yards from Geoff Dunne’s Portersdown Kirk a winner here in 1.593 in August. In the first race local horse Caenwood Rhapsody is going for a hatrick of wins here but will have tough opposition from double winner here Wellfield Muffo and Stoneriggs Mystery a winner of its first two races.

David Senior track director added “Whatever happens on Monday I can honestly say the racing here this year has already been exceptional with over 30 horses having ran the equivalent of under 2 minutes and 12 under 2 minute rugs having already been given out. We try every week to put as many free for alls on that is possible with the horses that are entered and this continues to raise the standards of racing at all levels. I believe that this is the future for harness racing not heats and finals that are so beloved elsewhere. The track has been in fabulous condition and we must thank our groundsman Mick the Stck for a great effort this year. We have also been blessed with a large contingent of stewards who have travelled large distances from Mid Wales and the Midlands every week, we believe this adds to our credibility and integrity at Tir Prince. I believe if the sport has a long term future in the bookies then we have to get races at half mile hard tracks, the racing public then sees our sport at its best and its added benefit is that recorded times for horses are a good comparable standard for those wanting to bet and only our sport can offer this!

We look forward to the future with opptimism and we would like to thank everyone who has supported us this year.”

Racing returns to Tir Prince on Tuesday 1^st June 2010 all being well.