Racecard Sunday 19th July 2015

Race 1:  KITTY & BERNARD NOCK MEMORIAL MEMBERS HANDICAP
Race 2:  ENOS EVANS MEMORIAL MAIDEN MILE
Race 3:  CAILAN & WILLIAM MORRIS NOVICE MILE
Race 4:  WALES & WEST PACING SERIES (Kindly sponsored by the Wellfield Stud)
Race 5:  SAUNDERS DRAGONS L GRADE 1 PACE
Race 6:  IVOR STOKLE GRADE 2 PACE
Race 7:  HAPPY 85TH BIRTHDAY CHRIS ROBERTS GRADE 3 TO 5
Race 8: GWYN OWENS MEMORIAL TOP GRADE HANDICAP (Kindly sponsored by Richards Owens)

Wales & West Pacing Series 2015
The Wales & West Pacing Series is a pilot idea for 2015 to support local racing within the Wales & West area for Gr1 – 4 horses. The series will run 12 races from May – September at a range of grass and hard track fixtures in the Wales & West area. The series will offer horses the opportunity to run for a 1st prize of £400.

Bobby Richards (R Richards and Son Ltd) has kindly sponsored rosettes for the 12th and 19th July meetings.

The Racing Horse would like to introduce Sarah Thomas (Vice Chair of the SHRC) to our readers. Most of those involved in UK harness racing will know Sarah in some capacity and she shares our view of striving to get the sport recognised both at national level and in the provinces. Sarah is working hard getting her message across whilst acknowledging those who help bring the sport to the public. She currently resides in Scotland and makes sure that that part of the world is not forgotten but this Sunday she will be visiting Allensmore and we hope to be introduced officially! Please check her out here, it makes for an interesting read: 

http://numberonescottishgroom.blogspot.co.uk/

Sarah is 25 and enjoys harness racing primarily because it is fun and exciting. She says: “There is a tremendous social element throughout the whole of the UK and Ireland and although fun it is fiercely competitive.” She reminds us that only a handful of people in the country make some sort of living from the sport whilst the vast majority take part because they love it! She also points out the collective memory of true harness racing fans spans absolute decades and I can vouch for that with my experiences in Australia. I can still remember lots of individual horses, their running style, my win bets, one or two losers and the names of trainers and drivers involved.

Harness racing in the UK has a few problems but the biggest is MESSAGE FAILURE! How can we expect the public to come racing and pay an entrance fee if they do not know the meeting is taking place and where? After relocating to South Wales from Bath we found Tairgwaith (Amman Valley Trotting Club) by accident and not design. How could that be – I have always been a racing enthusiast and love harness racing! There is very little internet coverage out of Ammanford and certainly no energy. After 10 years of visiting the track I have still not received a single email, call, message of any description urging/encouraging me to come racing and bring a friend! So what has that got to do with Allensmore this Sunday? Quite a bit actually...

This Sunday we are going to Allensmore for our second visit and can confirm the H&BHRC found us. Since then the team have regularly posted pertinent, informative and interesting information that makes us feel valued and part of the future. Latterly we have witnessed the magnificent and tireless work done by Stella Havard, her committee and the volunteers, they go the extra mile to put on a good show and genuinely involve/encourage those who want to help. On our first visit to Home Farm the lovely atmosphere was the first thing we encountered before giving way to the fierce competition and a fabulous day's racing with a card that was varied with something for all participants.

Future Fixtures:
http://www.bhrc.org.uk/racing/fixtures/

Once again the planned card is varied and has something for everyone, so an afternoon of action-packed harness racing is promised starting at 2pm, preceded by non-betting qualifiers at 1pm. Bookmakers will be in attendance and there will 8 races in which to have a flutter. Entrance fee is £8 per person to include racecard, car park and under 14’s FREE. There will also be a Bar and Caterers to assist the excitement.

Any raffle prizes or produce items will be greatly appreciated by the H&BHRC, please take them to the secretary's trailer. If the reader has news, or can add anything or share information, please get in touch with paulmoon@theracinghorse.co.uk and we will display on the site. We are also happy to advertise and promote FREE of charge on this site in an effort to promote harness racing in the region...