Under a warm sunny sky the enthusiastic crowd watched 8 fascinating races that threw up some expected wins and the odd surprise.

The draw was made in front of the crowd and when it was time for the Crock of Gold heat draw there was a real sennse of drama as it was the last chance for some of the fancied horses to qualify for the finals on 31st august at Tir Prince. 1st out Crown Manhattan draw 5, then For A Few Dollars more draw 6, then Doonbeg drawn 7 there were gasps form the crowd and an an anxious smile on the face of Claire Fletcher as her horse drawn out last the prime draw number 1, so the race was set up to be a cracker. But first we had 6 races to contend with and the Prakas Trot was a cracking finish with Spike just edging out Royal Return on the line, then an imperious drive for Pam Haythornthwaite on the maiden Coalford JD who led from the front and finished in 2.02. The low grade pace pitched 2 horses that love the track Colonel Mustard and Southlands Dillinger and this week Paul Holden asked Ian Pimlott to drive and he just edged Colonel Mustard into 2nd in a quick time of 2.01. The 4 year old fillies race over 1.5 miles was an expected win for the fabulous Rhyds Hasty Affair, thats 5 wins in 5 and a very decent time of 3.04 for the longer distance. The Colts race over the same distance was a much more open affair and after a cracking race Richard on Sierra Romeo deputising for his dad Alan Haythornthwaite just pippedthe favourite Pans Landing into 2nd with Ayr Miles just behind in 3rd.

The Len Bach 1 mile pace was eagerly awaited as the 1st appearance of Change the Locks was giving a start to a number of good horses. From 20 yards back the Dunne’s horse stormed into the lead and the time for the 1st half of 59.3 (adjusted time of approx 57.9) passinf 5 or 6 horses in the process but with the race at its mercy it went into a break with 3 furlongs to go anRichard Haythornthwaite took full advantage and was first with Oakview Duke finishing fast in 2nd place. The Haythornthawaites and the Fletchers night was to get even better as their horse Matador Hall expertly driven by Willy Drysdale led from the front in the Crock of Gold heat and with a slender lead coming rounf the final bend gave a great turn of speed to win comfortably in 1.581 from the 3 fancied Irish horses with Doonbeg just getting the better of Crown Manhattan and Forafewdollarsmore, in 2nd 3rd and 4th respectively.

The final race of the night was an 8 off the gate preferred open handicap saw a win for the Martins from Northern Ireland when Angelas Cosmo won in 1.596 from Valhalla and Ayr Mission. The final race meeting at Tir Prince will be on 31st August, entries are being taken now by Eric Witherspoon. The full results are below

RESULTS 18th AUGUST 2011 CONDITIONS DRY AND  WARM COOL LATER
RACE 1 POSITION HORSE DRIVER TRAIL PRIZE TIME DISTANCE
1st SPIKE P BRADDER 0 £240 2.406
2nd ROYAL RETURN S POOLE 0 £120 1/2L
3rd APRIL DRAGON J TOWE 0 £70 12L
RACE 2 1ST 1 COALFORD JD P HAYTHORNTHWAITE £250 2.024
2ND 4 PETERSTONE SENATOR J PODMORE £75 9L
3RD 8 CALL THE SHOTS J MCINALLY £40 1L
RACE 3 1st 3 SOUTHLANDS DILLINGER Grade 1 I PIMLOTT 0 £285 2.012
2nd 9 COLONEL MUSTARD Grade 2 R HAYTHORNTHWAITE 10 £85 4L
3rd 5 EDGAR THE BUG Grade 1 T GLASS 0 £45 5L
RACE 4 1st 1 RHYDS HASTY AFFAIR M LORD £1,000 3.047
2nd 2 ODDS ON BETH M EVANS £450 6L
3rd 4 FRISCO DANCER A STENHOUSE £250 2L
4TH 5 ANGIES LASS C HEATON £100
RACE 5 1st 5 SIERRA ROMEO R HAYTHORNTHWAITE £1,100 3.077
2nd 1 PANS LANDING D MURPHY £450 2L
3rd 2 AYRMILES G MENZIES £250 3L
4TH 4 TEDDY GET READY I PIMLOTT £100
RACE 6 1st 4 GRINNIN CT Grade 3 R HAYTHORNTHWAITE 0 £400 2.008
2nd 3 OAKVIEW DUKE Grade 3 M LORD 0 £125 2L
3rd 7  TOO HOT TODAY Grade 4 A STENHOUSE 10 £50 4L
4TH
RACE 7 1st 7 MATADOR HALL Grade 12 W DRYSDALE £1,000 1.581
2nd 3 DOONBEG Grade 12 J DUNNE £350 4L
3rd 1 CROWN MANHATTAN Grade 12 I PIMLOTT £100 2L
4TH 2 FORAFEW DOLLARS MORE Garde 12 J RICHARDSON £50
RACE 8 1st 4 ANGELA’S COSMO £3349 N MARTIN £500 1.596
2nd 5 VALHALLA £3608 G MENZIES £150 1L
3rd 6 AYR MISSION £3952 M ELVIN £75 2L