First classic £1,000 meeting of the season
With two hours to go to the start of the first ‘classic £1,000’ meeting of the season the weather deteriorated and this may have dampened enthusiasm for the Talgarreg meeting on Sunday. However everyone who came, was treated to some outstanding racing and as the afternoon wore on the weather improved and the camera man was called upon to decide almost every race.
The first nursery race had only two runners where Radnor Chips the weekly improving horse belonging to Mike Lewis from Presteigne led the way from the local Sable Sam (Tromans Newcastle Emlyn). In the second race first time on the track Cross Current (Sisco Ammanford) beat Kohlanta (Evans Brecon) while another first timer Strike Alight (Atherton Narberth) was third.
Then it was time for the ‘proper’ races. The Novice heats were the first to be run with four horses from each heat qualifying for the final. Abernant belonging to the Greenway Michaelchurch Eskley and Hardwick Brecon partnership and driven by garage mechanic Mark Evans was first passed the post while last week’s winner Brywin’s Snowflake (Wiegel Llanddewi Velfrey) was second, local horse Sandside Cash (Elder New Quay) in third and Llangurig farmer Edward Wozencraft’s Ithon Artist in fourth. Ithon Cracker returned to the scene after a couple of weeks on the sidelines to repeat his heat win of 2 weeks ago for the White family partnership from Porthcawl in second was local mare Clare’s Own (Evans Newcastle Emlyn), Sunnyside Geoff (Clark, Brecon) in third and Fold Be Nimble (Perks Presteigne) was fourth.
The first Grade B heat was won by Chinatown Maori (Jones Llanllwni) driven by Mathew Tromans, Bon Beti (Evans-Jones, Rhymney) ran well in second, the improving Blackfield Willy (Barton Clynderwen) in third and C U Boykin (Hitchcock, Haverfordwest) in fourth. Ithon Eagle proved what a good buy he was for caravan site owner Doug Neville from Guilsfield, winning from the latest star of the Pritchard stable of Rhosgoch, East of Eden, while Serenity (Jones Llanllwni) was third and honest Family Circle (Barton Clynderwen) was fourth.
Believe and Derek Pritchard from Rhosgoch won the first heat of the Grade A in impressive style with last week’s final winner Vodka Express (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) in second, Ithon Ace (Williams Shrewsbury) in third and last year’s winner Obi-wan-kenobi (Williams Llanafan) in fourth. In the second heat Merrington Man (Thomas Rhymney) dominated proceedings and led over the line from ‘Cardi horse’ Forgeside Jack (Walker Gwernogle) with the lovely black mare Bon Bethan (Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey) in third and Meadowbranch Mike (Jones Llanllwni) completing the line up for the final.
The three Baby Novice races followed with Blackmountain Jess (Morris Llanigon) the talented youngster from the Pritchard training stable at Rhosgoch taking the first with Carmarthenshire Welsh Cowboy (Evans Red Roses) running on well to be second from Talgarreg horse Glan Levit (Hefin & Megan Evans) in third.
Faraway (Atherton Narberth) driven this week by Wayne Knox from Abergavenny took the top honours in the second race while Greenhill Megan (Morgan, Rhymney) was second and Murray, a horse bred at the Atherton stable in Narberth, and now owned by the Gittins family from Guilsfield was third. The third part of the Baby Novice was won by local horse Razzle Dazzle (Thomas Llanybydder) as she gave a ‘dazzling’ display of speed to win the cup, in second was The Crusader (Greenway Michaelchurch Eskley) who claimed the runner up spot again this week while the ‘Cardi grey’ True Grit (Thomas Tregroes) was third.
The afternoon concluded with the three finals, all fantastic races. The first, the Novice, was Ithon Cracker’s chance to make up for missing the final two weeks ago because of a knock. He ran a ‘cracking’ race for his young driver Mark White from Porthcawl who along with his sisters Donna and Gemma owns and trains him. In second was the well regarded Abernant (Greenway Michaelchurch Esckley & Hardwick Brecon) while the strong, determined Clare’s Own (Evans Newcastle Emlyn) was third. It was another breeding triumph for the Ithon stud in the Grade B final as the impressive Ithon Eagle (Neville Guilsfield) swooped passed the winning post to add to his heat win earlier in the day. In second was Blackfield Willy (Barton Clynderwen) driven this week by Horst Weigel while Bon Beti (Evans Jones, Rhymney) driven very competently by Alan Peters was third.
The Grade A race provided a suitable finale for the afternoon. As the gate moved off Merrington Man (Thomas, Rhymney) powered to the front, he was still in full command at the three quarter stage and it looked as if it was all sewn up, but as they surged up the home straight it was the beautiful black head belonging to Bon Bethan (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) who flashed passed the winning posts in front, while her stable mate Vodka Express claimed second with Merrington Man having to settle for third.
A wonderful day’s racing with many close finishes, and next Saturday June 19th a 2 pm start, Old Radnor committee play host to the races at Evenjobb track.
Detailed Results
Race 1 - Nursery | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Radnor Chips | Gate | £0 | |
2 | Sable Sam | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.291 | ||||
Race 2 - Nursery | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Cross Current | Gate | £0 | |
2 | Koh Lanta | Gate | £0 | |
3 | Strike A Light | Gate | £0 | |
4 | Fairyhouse | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Overland | Gate | £0 | |
6 | Royal Fella | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.249 | ||||
Race 3 - Baby Novice | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Blackmountain Jess | Gate | £100 | |
2 | Welsh Cowboy | 10 | £30 | |
3 | Glan Levit | 10 | £15 | |
4 | Fold Eventful | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Brywins Jo Jo | Gate | £0 | |
6 | Hold The Cards | Gate | £0 | |
7 | Annie Blue | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.212 | ||||
Race 4 - Baby Novice | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Faraway | Gate | £100 | |
2 | Greenhill Megan | 10 | £30 | |
3 | Murray | Gate | £15 | |
4 | Luck Matters | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.208 | ||||
Race 5 - Baby Novice | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Razzle Dazzle | 10 | £100 | |
2 | The Crusader | 20 | £30 | |
3 | True Grit II | 20 | £15 | |
4 | Ashbrooks Billyboy | 20 | £0 | |
5 | Lowri Dillon | 20 | £0 | |
6 | Zip Along | 10 | £0 | |
Time: 2.186 | ||||
Race 6 - Novice H1 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Abernant | 10 | £20 | |
2 | Brywins Snowflake | 10 | £15 | |
3 | Sandside Cash | Gate | £10 | |
4 | Ithon Artist | 10 | £0 | |
5 | Man Of The Day | Gate | £0 | |
6 | Fold American | Gate | £0 | |
7 | Scarlet Lady | 10 | £0 | |
Time: 2.195 | ||||
Race 7 - Novice H2 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Ithon Cracker | Gate | £20 | |
2 | Clares Own | Gate | £15 | |
3 | Sunnyside Geoff | 10 | £10 | |
4 | Fold Be Nimble | 10 | £0 | |
5 | The Red Devil | 10 | £0 | |
6 | Katie Blue | 20 | £0 | |
Time: 2.168 | ||||
Race 8 - Novice Final | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Ithon Cracker | Gate | £300 | |
2 | Abernant | 10 | £30 | |
3 | Clares Own | Gate | £10 | |
4 | Sunnyside Geoff | 10 | £0 | |
5 | Sandside Cash | Gate | £0 | |
6 | Ithon Artist | 10 | £0 | |
7 | Brywins Snowflake | 10 | £0 | |
8 | Fold Be Nimble | 10 | £0 | |
Time: 2.161 | ||||
Race 9 - Grade B H1 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Chinatown Maori | 10 | £25 | |
2 | Bon Beti | 10 | £20 | |
3 | Blackfield Willy | Gate | £15 | |
4 | C U Boykin | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Ayr Force One | Gate | £0 | |
6 | Glan Master | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.203 | ||||
Race 10 - Grade B H2 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Ithon Eagle | 10 | £25 | |
2 | East of Eden | 20 | £20 | |
3 | Serenity | 10 | £15 | |
4 | Family Circle | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Maple Star | 10 | £0 | |
6 | Shannons Pride | 20 | £0 | |
Time: 2.200 | ||||
Race 11 - Grade B Final | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Ithon Eagle | 10 | £400 | |
2 | Blackfield Willy | Gate | £35 | |
3 | Bon Beti | 10 | £20 | |
4 | Family Circle | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Chinatown Maori | 10 | £0 | |
6 | C U Boykin | Gate | £0 | |
7 | Serenity | 10 | £0 | |
8 | East of Eden | 20 | £0 | |
Time: 2.204 | ||||
Race 12 - Grade A H1 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Bellieve | 20 | £25 | |
2 | Vodka Express | 10 | £20 | |
3 | Ithon Ace | 20 | £15 | |
4 | Obi Wan Kenobi | 10 | £0 | |
5 | Mahogany Duke | 20 | £0 | |
6 | Wellfield Xpense | 20 | £0 | |
7 | Boomerang II | 30 | £0 | |
Time: 2.182 | ||||
Race 13 - Grade A H2 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Merrington Man | Gate | £25 | |
2 | Forgeside Jack | Gate | £20 | |
3 | Bon Bethan | Gate | £15 | |
4 | Meadowbranch Mike | 10 | £0 | |
5 | Wilbro Douglas | Gate | £0 | |
6 | Live the Dream | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.169 | ||||
Race 14 - Grade A Final | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Bon Bethan | Gate | £1000 | |
2 | Vodka Express | 10 | £50 | |
3 | Merrington Man | Gate | £20 | |
4 | Forgeside Jack | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Obi Wan Kenobi | 10 | £0 | |
6 | Bellieve | 20 | £0 | |
7 | Ithon Ace | 20 | £0 | |
8 | Meadowbranch Mike | 10 | £0 | |
Time: 2.154 | ||||