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.”