Curtain set to close on Racetime Raceway meet

Belfast, UK – The curtain is set to fall on the 2021 harness season at Racetime Raceway in Belfast this Saturday where the career of top free-for-aller Klondyke Girl is celebrated through a series of heats and a final sponsored by the great racemare’s owners Peter Lyttle & Family.

Three Heats will be run with the first 2 home in each qualifying for the grand final where the winner will take home the lions share of the prizemoney on offer and the coveted Klondyke Girl Memorial Trophy.

The afternoon’s action commences with Heat One for Novice and G1 graded pacers where Paul Telford’s Ballycon Major will attempt to make all from his pole position gate draw. The gelding has demonstrated winning form at Racetime this season and was a narrowly beaten runner-up last time out the venue.

Let There Be Rock was the pacer in question that vanquished Ballycoan Major on that occasion but he meets this rival on much worse handicap terms now and is therefore fancied to turn the tables. Of the remainder Despicable Me could give the main protagonists a scare if Mark Rea’s error prone charge puts in a clear round of pacing.

Six Grade 1 & 2 class pacers go to post in the second heat and this is arguably the most competitive contest of the day. Barry Reaveys Oakwood Maverick was a multiple winner in 2020 but has yet to visit the winners enclosure this season despite running consistently well this term.

Castlewood Glensman and Veelas Imprint do boast winning form this season and are sure to take a hand in the finish but they all may have to play second fiddle to Lucky Cam who will is stabled on the track and has been placed on every start so far in 2021 with his mile times slightly better than those of his rivals. Boomtown and Stars In Their Eyes have done most of their racing in Scotland and both are capable of springing a surprise if Lucky Cam fails to fire.

The remaining heat which will be run over the extended mile and a quarter features six pacers graded 3 & 4 with Monugs Boy drawn to attack early for driver Barry Dean. The veteran is likely to get pestered for the lead however by Coalford Ollie and Phils Dragon as drivers Hugh Friel and North Lucas are not shy about going forward.

This could set the race up for the late closers Rio Bravo and John Barley. The former is a daughter out of Klondyke Girl herself and there wouldn’t be a dry eye at the venue should she prevail. There is a sneaky feeling that the longer trip may play more into the hands of John Barley and he is selected to spoil the party and bring the trophy back to his West Cork stable.

A race exclusively for maidens pacers will also be held on the day and this is another wide-open affair. The Chameleon, Mooreside May and Stellas Dragon have all ran creditably this season without getting their heads in front when it mattered and this presents a golden opportunity for one of the trio to finally claim a much coveted red rosette. The only newcomer in the race is the exquisitely bred McArts Fort and this debutante could be the one to upstage them all to land the spoils for Alec Patterson.

The penultimate race on the program is a square trot where Michael Goggin will try to win successive starts with the five year old mare Elite De La Folie who inflicted a shock defeat upon Socrates Du Noyer last time out. Ciaran Brickleys chestnut however enjoys a 10 yard pull in the handicap this time around and that should be enough to exact sweet revenge this time around. Diablesse Jisce, Bocage De Fornet and Hurricane Star are all talented performers on best form but all three are capable of a break in stride and would need a clear round on Saturday to trouble the principals.

Saving the best till last and closing the 2021 season is the Klondyke Girl Memorial final and this of course will comprise of the first and second home in each of the 3 heats and is set to send punters home on a high.

NISA, the officially recognized governing body for the sport in Northern Ireland have issued a statement thanking all owners, trainers, drivers, bookmakers and spectators who have supported Racetime throughout 2021 and hope to build on this support in 2022.

by Thomas Bennett, for Harnesslink