Tir Prince, August 8th Derby Night.

By Mandy Stanley

Tir Prince Raceway staged 7 GROUP 1 pacing races and a FFA Le Trot on Saturday 8th August.

The night started with the 1st division of the 2yof G1 Junior Welsh Dragonesss where the favourite Said to be Sweet led out and Ayr Ambition with Vicky Gill in the seat dropped into second  and stalked the leader throughout.

Ayr Ambition pulled out and started her challenge coming off the final turn and ran on up the home straight to win nicely, in a time of 2.03.4 , a great drive by Vicky  Gill and Trained by her father John Gill and giving her  Scottish breeders and owner, Ryan O Neil, a visit to the winners circle.

Next race was the 1st division of the G1 3yof BHRC OAKS,  a competitive group of fillies went to post , Frisco gottago with James Haythornthwaite dictated the pace of the front for this 1.5m oaks division but the race got busy in the last quarter with Oakwood Letsboogie coming out on top to hold the fast finishing Ring me back in second, in a time of 3.11.8 . Oakwood Letsboogie  gave her owner C Cook a Group 1 win and her trainer and driver  Michael O Mahony his first Group 1 race  of the night.

Race 3 the G1 Junior Welsh Dragon 2yoc

Saw the favourite, the very classy USA Artspeak import, Yerkes Hanover  with rocker Laidler in the  sulky lead all the way, winning unchallenged stopping the clock in 2.05.1. GDs Thunder  who ran a very respectable race finished second. This made it 3 from 3 for Yerkes Hanover and his owner E McCarthy and Team Laidler.

Division 2 of the G1 BHRC OAKS 3yof saw a  New Track Record performance for the 1.5m.

Rainbow Writer and her connections made the trip over from Ireland ,  her second visit to Tir Prince this season , she led, dominated and made all to win going away by 15 Lengths in a new track Record time of 3.05.7  Impressive ! With a race for placings Rhyds Seequin  in second  and Rhyds Romance in third.

The Sportswriter filly, Rainbow Writer  gave her owner B Grendon , trainer P Kane snr,  and Driver P Kane jnr, a Group 1 winner,  her second stakes win on the track this season, Division 2 G1 Junior Welsh Dragoness2yof Ayr Contessa driven by James Haythornthwaite  made all, they led out and dictated the race, Imperial Attitude driven by M Lord sat in second and challenged Contessa up the home straight, but Contessa held of the challenge to win in a time of 2.04.9. A Group 1 victory for owner N Holgate and Trained by Teresa Haythornthwaite and driven by her son James Haythornthwaite.

Also giving the Breeders Ayr Standardbreds their second Group 1 winner for 2 year old fillies on the night.

Race 6 was a top class FFA Le Trot over 1m Joby Randall on his own Broadway Du Borg led out and calmly held the lead, winning convincingly, in 2.03, with a race for placings, Calimero Brouets finishing second and Birdy Match in third.

Broadway Du Borg has made it 2 from 2 at Tir Prince now for his trainer R Wilson and his enthusiastic owner/driver Joby Randall.

Next was the G1 BHRC  DERBY 3yoc over 1.5m With 4 runners( the absentee A Rocknroll star) Was a tactical affair  Whichguyami drew 1 and led out , Matteuceous was unsettled round the first turn, but all settled in single file , until they went through the mile  and into the back straight  the field started to rally and Michael O Mahony tipped out I’m a Happy Fella from last to show an electric turn of foot to come round the field down the back to drive into the last quarter mile solo  and won pulling away by  13.5 Lengths in a clock of 3.06.7.

This gave Trainer and Driver  Michael O Mahony and his team their first BHRC DERBY Winner and This also gave Michael his second Group1 win of the night.

The over whelmed and delighted owner Geoff Robson was the very proud breeder and owner of I’m a happy Fella,  it also being his first Derby winner.  A Classic night for all his connections.

The last race G1 BHRC PACING CLASSIC 11/4m Northern pride was an absentee, but this still left a field of 9 top class Pacers.

Merrington Movingup was going into the race with 3 wins on the bounce , he led out and dictated the pace ,the field got busy in the last quarter with Rockin Mambo and Marc Jones in the seat  sweeping round the field on the last turn to challenge Movingup in the home straight  and won by 1.5 Lengths in 2.30.5.

Rockin Mambo gave his connections, owner, trainer and Driver Marc and Jenny Jones another memorable night and a GROUP 1 Victory .

Merrington Movingup was second and Miraculous was third.

A Champions night for all winning CONNECTIONS.

CONGRATULATIONS to you all.