WHETHER it’s in the larger sports of racing or rugby, or even harness racing, it is always nice to beat the other home nations in their own back yard.

The Williams family-owned Tir Prince Raceway on the North Wales coastline might lack the prestige of the Principality Stadium or Prestbury Park but for four happy Irish owners and several breeders, it was a happy hunting ground at the Breeders’ Crown meeting on Saturday, August 29th.

The series is the brain child of Edinburgh-man David Wilson who also happens to be a main agent for some leading brands of harness and sulkies. David has also trained, driven and stood stallions.

On the night there were four Irish-owned winners from a total of seven races.

As mentioned elsewhere, Walter and Carmel Stewart made the long trip from Coleraine worthwhile when Ladyford Dollar won the four-year-olds’ division. ‘Young Dollar’ was driven by the evergreen Stevie Lees who drove the sire For A Few Dollars More to win the English Derby at three. The Stewarts still own the sire. They winter him at home and he stands at stud with Dermot Dunne near Blanchardstown.

Great start

Bernard Nicholson of Cootehill has got off to a great start on his raids in Britain. Last year he drove and trained the two-year-old fillies’ winner, Churchview Niche. On Saturday, she followed up by taking the three-year-old version. Better again, the Cavan man also won the two-year-old geldings’ with the ambitiously-named Churchview Frankel. Both are by Foreclosure.

The Churchview prefix is from the breeder David O’Sullivan of Charleville in Cork. Neither Charleville nor Cootehill were previously harness racing territory. The quest continues.

In the two-year-old fillies’, the Offaly-bred Oakwood Anabella won for the Gill family, based at York.

The Oakwood prefix belongs to the Delaney brothers, as does Anabella’s father Foreclosure. Foreclosure sired Newtown Jody (also driven by Vicky Gill) who won the four-year-old distaff division. Newtown Jody is owned by a Limerick syndicate. All told, Foreclosure sired four winners on the night.

Gavin Murdock was out of luck in Rhyl, he met traffic as he drove The Gypsy Queen and was a game second with All Bets Are Off.