Top class performances at Racetime Raceway

Standard fare was the order of the day at Racetime Raceway (Belfast, NI) last Saturday and although there was a lack of quantity of horses in competition it more than made up for in the quality on offer with some top-class performances on the day from some of Northern Ireland’s up and coming pacing stars.

The afternoon got underway with a five runner Novice/Grade Handicap and all eyes were on Alex Patterson’s Alpha Papa in this, fresh from his heat and final victories at the illustrious Klondyke Girl Memorial meeting held at the venue at fortnight before.

Unfortunately, on this occasion he had to give best to True Matters (Soul Of The Matter) who racked up his second win of the season for owner Martin Gallagher with Greg Dean in the sulky. The time was a sharp 2 mins 04 secs for this grade of pacer and judging by this performance there looks to be plenty more wins left in this Scottish bred gelding before the season comes to a close on the 15th October.

The dam of True Matters is Jessie Red which hails back to dominant Welsh sire of the 1980’s Cherry Red. This breeding has known to improve with age and its therefore no surprise that this gelding is finally coming into the form of his life at the grand old age of 9.

Speaking of aged geldings, veteran campaigner Lucky Cam (Liams Irish Luck) also turned back time to win the afternoons Grades 2&3 handicap with Barry Dean in the sulky. The 12-year-old out of Porterstown Carbs (Astreos) held on gamely in the finishing straight to deny stablemate Monugs Boy and favourite Check the Deal in a mile time of 2 mins 3.8. Barry of course is the son of Greg so both father and son were both on the scoresheet at Racetime which is a very unusual occurrence in the sport.

The fastest time of the afternoon came in the Grade G1 junior Free For All when Alan Beattie’s McArts Fort (Jimmy Long) clocked 2.02.6 in his demolition of McIlroy, What Matters and Big Pete. Out of US imported mare L Dees Stella the five-year-old was always in command and is one of the most exciting prospects on the harness racing scene in Northern Ireland.

Beattie himself is relatively new to the sport and his first ever horse sure is giving him and his family plenty of enjoyment in what is his sophomore season.

The day culminated in a Non-Winners Consolation event giving all horses who didn’t win on the day another bite of the cherry, and this was a hotly contested 4 runner affair. At the end of the mile, it was Terry Henderson and Jollys Alibi (His Alibi) who emerged triumphant ahead of What Matters and McIlroy in a respectable 2 mins 05.

A recent Scottish import the 8-year-old gelding is out of Dillys Pontoon the Dillys stud prefix hails back to the Gilvear Family in Stirling who are arguably at the forefront of harness racing breeding in the UK at present boasting recent Grade 1 winners Louisiana and A Rock And Roll Star amongst their current stable of stellar standardbreds

The next meeting at Racetime Raceway is Saturday 3rd September.

From Racetime Raceway