Excitement, a big and joyous crowd, great weather and fabulous entertainment were all on show big time at Allensmore yesterday. With a mammoth 11-race card to savour, the going conditions were conducive to good competitive racing and fast times - and that’s exactly what we got!

An historic 1-2-3 for the Stricklands!

A fascinating contest was the Fred and Sheila Baker Members Handicap (Race 5) and we believe it must have created history! We will stand corrected but when was the last time a father and two sons finished first, second and third in any horse race (yet alone a harness race).

          Race 5: Fred and Sheila Baker Members Handicap
                Sunday 17th July 2016 Allensmore

1. Ja Ja Binks driven by Jed Strickland
2. Tuco driven by Brett Strickland
3. Clint driven by Nathan Strickland
 
Distance: 1 1/2 lengths and a neck              Time: 2.07.9

Tuco took them along early but was always in the sights of the 12yo Ja Ja Binks whilst Clint had the benefit of a dream inside run if in the mood but although Brett was trying to save a bit with Tuco for the home stretch the elder statesman was not going to be denied! Clint was voted best turned out.

Buckland Fox Trot wins again in another fast time!

The biggest race of the day was Race 9 the Wales & West Pacing Series with £500 in prize money and after a Strickland 1-2-3 we wondered if it could be a family 1-2 with Woodstone Jingo/Julie Phillips and Buckland Fox Trot/Colin Bevan. Julie Phillips broke the line and got the lead early this time but father deemed the pace too slow and Colin Bevan flew past her on the back straight. Ultimately Buckland Fox Trot won easily and in a very fast time of 2.03 making it three wins from his last four starts and clearly a horse in great form. Second was Chinatown Kolt (best turned out), third was Wellfield Dylan whilst Woodstone Jingo claimed fourth place.

Congratulations to Carly Young!

Our congratulations go out to Carly Young who drove her first winner when winning the Roland Pugh C Class Handicap with, and despite sweating up, the best turned out Landa Dreams. We hope this is the first of many winners for her. The first picture shows her taking a sit and the second as she breezes by Tuco.

Other races included...

As per last week Emma Langford drove Full Throttle full throttle out of the pits and led all the way unopposed to collect the chequered flag in Race 6 the Ivor Stokle Novice. The colt bolted clear and spreadeagled the field especially on the back straight before winning easily in a time of 2.07.8.

Glaxys Gem was alway handy in the Lisa Knott Maiden - Division 1 and took Race 2 but the 3yo filly Mystic River for Stuart Harris showed quite a bit when coming again down the straight to get beat a head in a modest 2.12.3. In the second divison of the maiden another 3yo filly Rhyds Gem despatched her rivals quite easily in Race 3 the Kathryn Lloyd Maiden by 4l clocking a similar time in 2.12.9.

Race 4 showed Mark Pritchard at his best with Mahogany Meerkat. After leading out of the gate he was continually hassled for the lead but used the fractions superbly to win by a head. The significance of the win was that the time was on a par with the qualifiers in 2.14.4. Mark reminded us all that the 3yo gelding Mahogany Meerkat is for sale.

Race 7 was the Happy 86th Birthday Chris Roberts Grade 1 Division 1 where Quality Art and Lakeview Romeo looked to have softened each other up as they took each other on and gifted it to a closer. It looked as if Rosie Du would be the beneficiary with a lovely sit but it was Wellfield Picasso who continued his good recent form flying down the home straight to beat Shark Penlan by 3l in a time of 2.09

James Brown (Jason Podmore) made all in a tight knit field before scooting away easily in the home straight claiming race 8 Victor Lane Grade 1 - Division 2, in a time of 2.09.1. This winner gave Jason a double and he claimed the driving honours.

In Race 10 Wellfield Ruby gave Blue Desperado (who travelled particularly well throughout) a good tow throughout the race but was collared in the shadow of the post.

Llwyns Delight grabs The Racing Horse Handicap Grade 4-7

Many thanks to the organisers for the naming of Race 11. It was titled the WWW.THERACINGHORSE.CO.UK Grade 4-7 Handicap and what an exciting race it turned out be. After a false start by Ffairrhoshill Billy the same horse broke smartly and cut out the early running after receiving the green light. He tore along early with Sun Glasses Ron putting him under pressure but with Masquerade Avenue and Llwyns Delight just behind and it looked certain the winner would come from these two. As Llwyns Delight took it up in deep stretch it looked all over bar the shouting until Cutchall Hanover, who had been out the back, flew home to be beaten a neck.

   Race 11: WWW.THERACINGHORSE.CO.UK GRADE 4-7 HANDICAP
1. Llwyns Delight driven by Lee Price
2. Cutchall Hanover driven by Michael O'Mahony
3. Masquerade Avenue driven by Colin Bevan

Distance: Neck and 3 lengths                    Time: 2.05.4

Masquerade Avenue finished third and the official distances were a neck and 3l in a time of 2.05.4. Our congratulations to Lee Price and the team for their winner. Best turned out award went to Wellfield Official. 

ESL Photography

The photograph above was supplied courtesy of ESL Photography and we take this opportunity to thank him not just for the photograph but for his help generally. To see the official photographs taken of Allensmore Harness Racing by ESL Photography yesterday, Sunday 17th July 2016, and those last week, 10th July 2016 we commend our readers to view his website:

http://www.eslphotography.co.uk/harness-racing-allensmore-july-2016

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