An explosion of exceptional young horses which are setting the harness racing season alight means that this weekend’s harness racing festival at Aberystwyth is one not to be missed.
A small number of outstanding two and three-year-old horses emerge every year but this year the quality of pacing talent is greater than ever, adding to the competitiveness of the racing.
Top horse race commentator Darren Owen who has been at all the leading meetings so far says that some of the racing this year has been as good as anything he has witnessed in the 31 years he has followed the sport. “There have been some blistering performances, including five track records in one night at Tir Prince, which underlines how harness racing has moved forward in 2018,” he said.
The two-day Ceredigion Trotting Club Festival at Tanycastell Fields, Rhydyfelin, just south of the town, which celebrates its 22nd anniversary this year, is now firmly established as one of the premier grass track meetings in the UK calendar and big crowds are expected for Saturday and Sunday’s racing (1pm start).
The Group 2 three-year-old races on Saturday – both carrying a first prize of £2000 – will undoubtedly be ones to savour. Unfortunately for local followers newly crowned winner of the National Pacing Derby for colts and geldings Matticulous, partly owned by local hoteliers Vince and Shon Morgans, is an absentee. But stablemate Merrington Movinup, who beat Matticulous in the Junior Welsh Dragon colts final at Tregaron last August is in a strong line-up that includes Oakwood Ideal, Seal of Approval and Springhill Chisium.
In the 3-year-old fillies race ones to keep an eye out for are Greenhill Hanover, last weekend’s winner of the National Pacing Derby for fillies, Rhyds Sapphire and Ayr Empress.
Saturday’s open handicap, worth £4000 to the winner, looks an open affair. I Live to Party and Lane House Stan will be among the fancies in the first heat, while Miami Steelster, Lakeside Art and No Joking are sure to be prominent in Heat 2. Rhyds Nightlife will probably start favourite in Heat 3 while a strong fourth heat includes the likes of Caenwood Jack, Full Throttle and Itsmycheck.
The Haythornthwaite, Laidler and Lord stables are big supporters of the fixture and once again have powerful entries. Mick Lord’s 2-year-old filly Springhillmisskate will be fancied in her race on Sunday as will Richard Haythornthwaite’s Two Left Feet, but one they’ll have to beat is The Mocking Jay (Marc Jones) who clocked 2.2 at Tir Prince in June and finishing second in the National Pacing Futurity (Fillies) last Saturday. Likely favourite in the 2-year-old colts race is Alan Haythornthwaite’s Takemetothelimit, another Tir Prince winner, with Rocker Laidler’s Christy Camden and Horatio Camden certain to offer strong opposition.
Sunday’s highlights will be the heats and final for top grade handicap horses with £6000 for the Group 1 final winner. Ante post favourite is Marc Jones’ Rocking Mambo who has already beaten last year’s Horse of the Year Evenwood Sonofagun twice this season at Tir Prince, including last Saturday.
Heat 1 brings together talented performers such as Dreamfair I Say, Tarawood Joy and Greentree Serenity. Heat 2 looks an equally difficult contest for punters with several horses having run close to or below two minutes, including Ontop Jermese Jet, Meadowbranch Roman, JMS Macy Hallstar and Frankie Camden. Heat 3 brings together another competitive field of potential winners of the handicap including Springhill Glory, Lyons Lememay and Sunglasses Ron.
Apart from the titanic return clash between Sonafagun and Mambo Heat 4 includes other fliers, including Rhyds Passion and Ayr Majesty. As in all heats the draw will be all important.
Most of the races on the card are for pacing horses but there are some excellent trotters around this year and they will be competing in the Trot Britain Le Trot Grass Championship on Saturday. There will also be a Trot Britain Le Trot 3yo Championship Heat on the same day as well as a children’s race.
There over 250 horses entered for the meeting and with continued warm weather forecast there are bound to be some fast times.

** DON’T MISS IT **

Directions:- Tan-y-Castell, Rhyd-y-felin, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, Wales (1 mile outside Aberystwyth on the A487 from Aberystwyth to Aberaeron road)