The fields are set for the Breeders Crown UK and Ireland harness races at Tir Prince Raceway on Tuesday evening, August 2.
It’s the tenth anniversary of the Breeders Crown UK & Ireland and Tir Prince is rolling out the red carpet for the big race card.
Featured will be Breeders Crown finals for UK or Irish bred two-, three- and four-year-old pacers, the inaugural American-bred Filly Pace for two-year-olds plus the Ephie Mather Memorial Trot for the top rated LeTrot Series high steppers along with a power-packed racing card.
In addition to the live harness racing there will be live music, plenty of food and beverages available and children under age 16 are admitted free. The Tir Prince Fairground is just across the way from the track for fun before the races, and, of course, plenty of bookies to take wagers.
“I am looking forward to what promises to be one of the most entertaining Breeders Crown we have ever staged,” said David Wilson, president of the Breeders Crown UK & Ireland. “It will also be grand having world driving champion Dexter Dunn from New Zealand driving Breeders Crown night. There will be great racing and entertainment for everyone.”
In the three-year-old colt division of the Breeders Crown, all eyes will be on top colt Miraculous. This son of Arts Conquest won the Vincent Delaney Memorial last year and has only improved in 2016 for driver Patrick Kane, Jr. and trainer Sally Teeboon. Just last week at Portmarnock Raceway in Dublin, Miraculous rewrote the track record two days in a row, the fastest last Sunday with a lifetime mark of 1:55.90.
The Ephie Mather Memorial Trot will be just a sprint for everyone in the eight-horse field. The distance of the race is at one mile but most of these LeTrot Series top horses have been racing at a mile and-a-half.
The morning line favourite is Sulky Du Blequin for owner/trainer John Foy, who is giving up the lines on this drive and has listed New Zealand’s Dexter Dunn to be in the sulky. The ten-year-old Sulky Du Blequin has been razor sharp for Foy this year, recently winning the Malcolm Ali Memorial Silver LeTrot at Wolverhampton.
Another Arts Conquest sired foal, Jessies Conquest, is the headliner for the Breeders Crown three-year-old filly pace. The homebred is owned, trained and driven by Marc Thomas Jones and has been the top competitor on the circuit this season. Jessies Conquest recent took her lifetime mark of 2:00.30 right at Tir Prince on July 16.
In the Breeders Crown for four-year-old mares, ten pacers will be slugging it out. Shesgotanattitude headlines this group for owner, breeder and driver John Richardson. The Kikikolt mare has come into her own this season but faces some stiff competition.
Kickass Katie comes into the race off a lifetime best 2:00.40 triumph last week at Portmarnock and will have Dexter Dunn in the sulky. This mare, also sired by Kikikolt, is also bred and owned by John Richardson. Another contender is Frisco Frisk for driver Alan Haythornthwaite, a recent 2:00.90 winner.
A full program of eleven top flight races, live entertainment for both young and old, great food and drink plus bookmakers on-site awaits everyone who comes out to Tir Prince Raceway on Tuesday evening. First race post time is 6:00 pm.
(with files from the Breeders Crown UK & Ireland)
If you ever want to see
If you ever want to see harness racing at the gut-instinct level then you have to go to Tir Prince. I grew up in Musselburgh, Scotland, where the harness racing is legend but a visit to Wales showed me that harness racing is much more than The Meadowlands. Like the people of PEI, Canada, there is a love of the sport that is part of your DNA and will never be extinguished.