The third year of the Battle of the Big Guns in the UK is upon us, the search for the most talented, consistent pacer of the year.
It is decided over six races at a variety of venues, on different surfaces and distances.
The winner of the Standardbred Horse Sales Company sponsored series is the pacer amassing the most prize money after all six races, after which he or she will be crowned ‘The Big Gun’.
For the first two years of the competition one horse’s name has appeared on The Honours Board at the end of the season, that is the name of former Pacer of the Year Stoneriggs Mystery.
Now an eleven year old, the Sheelagh Lord trained son of Village Jasper has won no less than 42 races, winning such events as The Crock of Gold in 2012 and 2015, as well as numerous major Free For Alls.
He has started the 2017 series in fine heart with a beautifully executed drive from Mick Lord to take the Appleby leg.
That was on a grass track over 1m500yds, the next leg is set for Tir Prince in late July, a hard track of international standard and a venue which is likely to attract last season’s Pacer of the Year Miraculous.
This classy four year old is considered, by many, to be the new Champion, possibly the best pacer ever seen in the UK.
In fact, the son of Arts Conquest met Stonriggs Mystery for the first time at Tir Prince recently in the first Crock of Gold heat of the year, and the younger legs took the mile in 1.56.7, you could say, it was the day he come of age!
This is a horse who won absolutely everything as a two and three year old, races such as the Vincent Delaney at Portmarnock in Ireland, the Sires Stakes and Breeders Crown at two and three, in addition to making a return to Ireland to win in track record time over one and half miles at Portmarnock as a three year old.
He is just one major rival standing in the path of Stoneriggs Mystery this year, there are others.
Ayr Majesty landed a Big Guns race last season and has already collected at Appleby this spring and stable companions Fool Around and Saunders Mach 3 are both Welsh Classic winners, the former also winner of one of Britain’s biggest Free For All Paces’ the Crock of Gold. Lyons Mischief and Tarawood Messi complete the list of contenders, both capable at the highest level, the former proved that when winning a Big Gun race last year.
After Tir Prince play host to the competition its back to the grass, and to Bellsfield in Scotland in Auguest followed by a visit to the Festival of Racing at Tregaron, which is on grass later that month.
The Tapeta synthetic thoroughbred surface will present a different challenge at Wolverhampton in October, with the series concluding at Amman Valley in South Wales shortly after.
So, the much sought after prize is up for grabs, there are lots of questions to be answered, which pacer will hit the target, scoop the purses and hold the bragging rights?
The Standardbred Horse Sales Company are searching for the Big Gun!