Atmospheric weather only adds drama at Tregaron

Storm clouds rolled up the valley and settled in the Cambrian Mountains high above the harness racing turf track at Dolyrychain Farm in West Wales, UK. Thunder & lightning was the drum roll to kick start the elimination heats of the 2023 Clasur Cymru – Welsh Classic before our newest champions were crowned in the evening sunshine at Tregaron last weekend.

James Haythornthwaite took the meetings leading driver title with 6 victories across the weekend and dominated Day 1 of the festival by winning 4 races including 2 Elimination Heats of the Strata Florida. With 3 qualified drives for the final James elected to drive Desert Ranger and steered him to victory after surviving an early speed duel with Doon Valley [Julie Phillips] and surrendering the lead to a big mid race move from Ethan Fettah on board Wasntexpectingthat. Desert Ranger a 9y/o son of The Preacher Pan (The Panderosa) o/o Stoneriggs Speed (Solitude) eventually won the stretch battle to beat Wasntexpectingthat in 2nd & Check On William [Grant Cullen] in 3rd.

The Scoot Around Electric Mile delivered a training quinella for Alexis Laidler, the reigning trainer of the year is well adept at achieving that feat but this time it must have been extra special as both horses hold a special place in her heart along with both drivers.

Merrington Movinup – The Preacher Pan (The Panderosa) o/o What A Commotion (Hopping High) driven by William Laidler Jnr caused a minor upset beating dad William Laidler, steering Evenwood Sonofagun by three quarters of a length with Newtown Jody [Victoria Gill] a further six lengths back in 3rd.

British stakes races for 2 & 3-year-olds have been dominated in recent years by the progeny of sires not standing in the British-Irish Isles but the 2023 Dragon Series saw the local stallions fighting back, siring 4 out of the 5 divisions, they were:

3y/o C Ayr Corleon – Hasty Hall (Jennas Beach Boy) o/o Sold Out (Western ideal)

3y/o F Matadora – Matador Hall (Blissfull Hall) o/o Shades Of Gray (Cambest)

2y/o C Moneyhill – Tom Hill (American Ideal) o/o Racezapan (Genghis Pan)

2y/o F[D1] Meldoons Star – Rogue Hall (Cambest) o/o Meldoon (Doonbeg)

The exception being

2y/o F[D2] Rhyds Line Dancer – Betting Line (Bettor’s Delight) o/o Twist N Clout (Western Ideal)

The weekends Trotting Handicaps were won by

History Queen – Very Pleasant (Goatmals Wood) o/o Really Queen (Gros Grain)

Hawai de Bercheres – Quick Wood (Love You) o/o Vega de Cara (Prince de Montfort)

Dharmanga – Niky (Vikings Way) o/o Kapanga (Reve d’Udon)

Cedre Pierji – Repeat Love (Coktail Jet) o/o Ovelinotte d’Ylea (Workaholic [USA])

3 out of the 4 these Trotting Handicaps for Trotteur Français were won by horses racing whip-less thanks to TROTBritain’s ‘Ditch The Whip’ initiative which is a novel solution to the Global Whip problem. This allows the horses entered racing whip-less to advance 20 Yards in the handicap and British trainers are making great use of it.

After 4 Elimination Heats the lineup for the Clasur Cymru – Welsh Classic Final was:

Tommy Shelby                                        [Marc Jones] Gate 1

Wellfield Elegant                             [Johnny Connors] Gate 2

Manhattan Gangster                           [Jay Matthews] Gate 3

Blue La Vida Loca                                   [Ryan Inglis] Gate 4

National Treasure           [James Haythornthwaite] 10 Yards 1

Stateside Deuce                                   [Mick Lord] 10 Yards 2

Be Like Me                             [William Greenhorn] 20 Yards 1

Yerkes Hanover                      [William Laidler Jnr] 30 Yards 1

A false start and a recall resulting in Wellfield Elegant being moved to the outside of the gate made up Ryan Inglis’ mind to push for the lead out the gate and take control of the race.

From there the young Scotsman looked to be driving full of confidence behind Blue La Vida Loca and keeping the pace honest he gave nobody any reason to make an early challenge. The competition jostled for position on the second circuit of the half mile turf course before fanning out across the width of the track at the top of the stretch looking to make their challenge.

Inglis had rated the mare to perfection and was in no danger of fading in the run home. With a 100 Yards to go Inglis peaked to his right to see he was 2 lengths clear and began to showboat, soaking in the crowd’s applause to the biggest win of his driving career so far.

Blue La Vida Loca a 7y/o daughter of See And Ski (Somebeachsomewhere) o/o Blue Bop A Loola (Todays Man) beat home Be Like Me [William Greenhorn] in 2nd and National Treasure [James Haythorthwaite] in 3rd.

2023 was only the second time Ryan Inglis has driven at Tregaron and picked up 3 wins across the weekend whilst also getting to drive against and beat William Greenhorn in the Clasur Cymru – Welsh Classic who is one of his boyhood heroes. The other being Ryan’s grandfather Alex McDonald who first got Ryan involved in Harness racing as a young boy and just happens to be the first Scottish Driver to win a race at Tregaron behind Morton Flight.

Ryan had this to say of his weekend ‘This was the first Tregaron where I had a few drives and some good chances, luckily I managed to win the biggest race, an unbelievable feeling, one of the best I’ve had in my life and one I’ll never forget!’.

Tina Turner’s “Simply The Best” signaled the end of the 2023 Welsh Classic Festival but the 2024 edition is already in the planning stage and with it being the clubs 40th Anniversary a major party is in order.

The club has always paid attention to trends in Global Harness Racing and has been inspired by the rise of the Slot Race especially by the success of ‘The Race’ in Cambridge, New Zealand whom Tregaron Trotting Club have close ties to following a Welsh Amateur Driver’s Tour of New Zealand to compete against the Kiwi’s around the time of the 2005 Inter-Dominions.

The 2024 Clasur Cymru – Welsh Classic will be Britain’s first Slot Race and hopes to attract British & International Slot Holders.

by Mike Evans, for Club Trotian Tregaron – Tregaron Trotting Club