First Grass Meeting of Season at Llandyfaelog
The first grass meeting of the season is always greeted with enthusiasm, as well as speculation whether the winners from the all weather can sustain their form on the traditional surface. Llandyfaelog on May Bank Holiday Monday provided a stiff test for the horses with the drizzling rain making conditions sticky.
The nursery race was divided as several horses made their track debut but it was the experienced Ithon Eagle (Edwards, bromfield) with young Jo Knox on board claiming his first victory since leaving the junior ranks several years ago who took the honours in the first race. While in the second race Sunnyside Geoff (Clarke Brecon) is building his reputation with another win before entering competitive racing.
In the first heat of the Grade A the experienced Horst Weigel dictated affairs from the front with his own Vodka Express claiming victory from the other gate horse Wellfield Xpense (Langford Ludlow) while Mahogany Duke (Edmunds, Porthcawl) claimed third spot. Obi-Wan-Kenobi (Williams, Llanafan) ran a very good race in the second heat to help Derek Pritchard in the drivers’ championship with back marker Purple Rain (Edwards, Bromfield) in second and I’m Still the Man (G Jones, Merthyr) in third.
In the Grade B it was another battle between the Barton Clunderwen stable companions Blackfield Willy with son Robert on board and last week’s winner Vyrnwy Chef again driven by Louisa Myers. This time Blackfield Willy gained the verdict, while Bon Beti (Evans-Jones, Rhymney) ran on well to be third.
With no ‘gate’ horses in the novice race, the back markers Ayr Force One and Coalford Time took advantage of an ease in the handicap and were soon battling it out head to head. Ayr Force One who the previous day had taken his ‘care-assistant’ owner Trina Haslam from Llanybydder on a 12 mile sponsored ride in aid of the MacMillan Nurses, provided another profitable day aided by Wayne Knox in the seat, beating Coalford Time (Hardwick Brecon) into second. While C U Boykin (Hitchcock, Haverfordwest) having an uncharacteristic erratic run made up so much lost ground to be third. Ayr Force One now graduates into open company and we all look forward to seeing the genial grey take on all comers in the Grade B.
In the next race Wayne Knox partnered another back marker as Ithon Eagle (Edwards, Bromfield) produced a wonderful win to further his career as he moves into the Novice class. True Grit with owner Janet Thomas Tregroes on board was second and Welsh Cowboy was again in the placings for Dewi Evans from Red Roses.
Grass racing allows the saddle horses and their jockeys a share of the limelight and last year’s saddle champion Blackfield Willy (Barton, Clunderwen) with young Emma Layton on board showed that was no fluke, as they charged along in front, and despite the efforts of Donna White on Mahogany Duke (Edmunds Porthcawl) and Rebecca Hitchcock on Meadowbranch Mike (Jones, Llanllwni) they were not going to be denied.
The first Free For All of the season was the next race on the card and in this Purple Rain (Edwards, Bromfield) gave Wayne Knox his third and possibly easiest win of the day as the horse oozed ‘class’, dictating the race from the front with an unashamedly high cruising speed, leaving Live the Dream (Langford, Pontardawe) racing for second and Bon Bethan (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) third.
The Grade A final provided the completion of the day’s events with another intelligent drive by Horst Weigel from Llanddewi Velfrey dictating the pace on his Vodka Express, while Mahogany Duke (Edmunds Porthcawl) providing a catch drive for Louisa Myers claimed a worthy second and Obi-Wan-Kenobi (Williams, Llanafan) was third.
The next race meeting is Knighton which is often regarded as the start of the ‘Mid Wales season’ on Saturday May 16th starting at 2 pm.
Detailed Results
| Race 1 - Nursery | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
| 1 | Ithon Eagle | 20 | £0 | |
| 2 | Radnor Halleluliah | Gate | £0 | |
| 3 | Dragon Penlan | Gate | £0 | |
| 99 | Zip Along | Gate | £0 | |
| 99 | Glan Levit | Gate | £0 | |
| Time: 0.000 | ||||
| Race 2 - Nursery | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
| 1 | Sunnyside Geoff | Gate | £0 | |
| 2 | Dragon Fly | Gate | £0 | |
| 3 | Classic Man | Gate | £0 | |
| 99 | Bear Trap | Gate | £0 | |
| 99 | Murray | Gate | £0 | |
| Time: 2.349 | ||||
| Race 3 - Baby Novice | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
| 1 | Ithon Eagle | 20 | £70 | |
| 2 | True Grit II | Gate | £30 | |
| 3 | Welsh Cowboy | 10 | £10 | |
| 99 | Sandside Cash | 20 | £0 | |
| 99 | Wellfield Inspired | Gate | £0 | |
| 99 | Scarlet Lady | Gate | £0 | |
| Time: 2.242 | ||||
| Race 4 - Novice | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
| 1 | Ayr Force One | 20 | £80 | |
| 2 | Coalford Time | 20 | £20 | |
| 3 | C U Boykin | 10 | £10 | |
| 99 | Sam the Man | 10 | £0 | |
| 99 | Red Adair | 10 | £0 | |
| Time: 2.253 | ||||
| Race 5 - Grade B | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
| 1 | Blackfield Willy | Gate | £250 | |
| 2 | Vyrnwy Chef | Gate | £60 | |
| 3 | Bon Beti | 10 | £25 | |
| 4 | Fold Supreme | Gate | £0 | |
| Time: 2.169 | ||||
| Race 6 - Grade A Heat 1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
| 1 | Vodka Express | Gate | £30 | |
| 2 | Wellfield Xpense | Gate | £0 | |
| 3 | Mahogany Duke | 10 | £0 | |
| 4 | Lucky Nipper | 10 | £0 | |
| 99 | Live the Dream | 40 | £0 | |
| 99 | Merrington Man | 60 | £0 | |
| Time: 2.247 | ||||
| Race 7 - Grade A Heat 2 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
| 1 | Obi Wan Kenobi | 20 | £30 | |
| 2 | Purple Rain | 40 | £0 | |
| 3 | Im Still the Man | 10 | £0 | |
| 99 | Fold Flight | 20 | £0 | |
| 99 | Meadowbranch Mike | 20 | £0 | |
| 99 | Shermanator Sam | Gate | £0 | |
| Time: 2.200 | ||||
| Race 8 - Grade A Final | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
| 1 | Vodka Express | Gate | £250 | |
| 2 | Mahogany Duke | 10 | £60 | |
| 3 | Obi Wan Kenobi | 20 | £25 | |
| 99 | Im Still the Man | 10 | £0 | |
| 99 | Wellfield Xpense | Gate | £0 | |
| 99 | Purple Rain | 40 | £0 | |
| Time: 2.170 | ||||
| Race 9 - Saddle | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
| 1 | Blackfield Willy | Gate | £30 | |
| 2 | Mahogany Duke | 30 | £15 | |
| 3 | Meadowbranch Mike | 40 | £5 | |
| Time: 2.221 | ||||
| Race 10 - FFA | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
| 1 | Purple Rain | Gate | £100 | |
| 2 | Live the Dream | Gate | £40 | |
| 3 | Bon Bethan | Gate | £10 | |
| 99 | Lucky Nipper | Gate | £0 | |
| 99 | Vyrnwy Chef | Gate | £0 | |
| Time: 2.182 | ||||