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Ideal day for racing at the Evenjobb

Jump Straight to Results

It was an ideal day for racing at the Evenjobb track on Saturday for the Old Radnor races, warm and sunny but with a breeze to stop the horses and the spectators overheating.

The Nursery races are a glimpse into the future as the young horses take their first steps on the racing ladder. This week they were dominated by the Knox family from Abergavenny. Ex steeplechase jockey Wayne is one of the most experienced drivers on the circuit and now his son Joseph having gained initial experience in the junior races is accepted as an able ‘chip off the block’. Wayne won the first and third races with Radnor Chips (Lewis Presteigne) and Strike a Light (Atherton Narberth) while Joe took the second with Overland (Thomas, Llanybydder). All these horses look set for a secure future in the sport.

In the first Novice heat the favourite Abernant belonging to the Greenway, Michaelchurch Eskley and Hardwick Brecon partnership helped give the punters a good start to the day, in second was the ever improving Alpine Heights (Ladek Cleobury Mortimer) while in third was Saunders Playboy (Pritchard Rhosgoch) and Scooby’s Dream (Lloyd, Kington) claimed fourth place. Man of the Day (Harries Llanllwni) on only his second outing this season claimed first prize in the second heat while Sunnyside Geoff (Clark, Brecon) took second, Ithon Artist (Wozencraft, Llangurig) was third and The Red Devil (Greenway, Michaelchurch Eskley) qualified for the final in fourth.

There were three heats of the Grade B to make a full house of nine runners for the final. In the first heat it was the Barton favourite Family Circle (Barton Clynderwen) driven by Louisa Myers in first from East of Eden (Pritchard, Rhosgoch) with the grey Ayr Force One (Haslam, Llanybydder) in third. Chinatown Maori (Jones Llanllwni) was a predictable winner in the second heat driven as usual by Mathew Tromans while last week’s victor Ithon Eagle (Neville, Guilsfield) overcame his twenty yard handicap to claim second and another Guilsfield owner the Price family, had Glan Master through to the final.

In the third heat C U Boykin belonging to the Hitchcock family from Haverfordwest and driven as always by Debbie was the winner with Bon Beti (Evans Jones, Rhymney) in second and the improving Coalford Time (Harris, Merthyr) was third.

Hot favourite Merrington Man (Thomas Rhymney) ran another good race under the guidance of his usual driver Mark Evans from Brecon to win from the grey Live the Dream (Langford, Ammanford) while Ithon Ace (Williams, Shrewsbury) was third and the beautiful black mare Bon Bethan despite her 30 yard trail qualified in fourth. In the second heat Meadowbranch Mike (Jones Llanllwni) gave driver Debbie Hitchcock another win, beating Vodka Express (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) with the chestnut mare Believe (Pritchard Rhosgoch) third and Forgeside Jack (Walker Gwernogle) in fourth.

The first of the Baby Novice races saw Strike a Light make the transition from the Nursery in fine style as she raced passed the winning post in front with another first season horse Hold the Cards (Williams, Llanybydder) in second and Glan Levit (Evans Talgarreg) third. Trickster’s Dream (Flint, Porthcawl) driven this week by Derek Pritchard who a few years ago enjoyed so many wins with her mother Duggan’s Trickster, in second was the aptly named Razzle Dazzle (Thomas Llanybydder) with Fold Eventful (Perks Presteigne) in third. Faraway (Atherton, Narberth) and driven by her owner Linda provided the icing on the cake for the Atherton family as she added another win to complete an unforgettable day of all wins, in second was Greenhill Megan (Morgan, Rhymney) with True Grit (Thomas Tregroes) in third.

Saddle racing has returned to much greater popularity this year and with 6 horses lining up it proved a classic as the ladies took to the track. Jayne Bevan looks to have found a willing partner in the diminutive Master Tom (Owens, Shobdon) who like many little horses before him makes up for any missing stature with a huge heart, in second was Serenity (Jones, Llanllwni) another horse which Rebecca Hitchcock has proved is formidable in the old style while Top Cat (Duggan, Llangunllo) battled on bravely to be third.

The Junior race is possibly the public’s favourite race of the day, there were three competitors with the young Elin Bevan on grandad’s Scoot Sixty Six (Bevan Llanddewi) given a handicap of 60 yards. The old horse made nothing of that and with his feather-light jockey he was soon challenging for the lead and led to the finish, Dale Williams on the lightly raced Little Man II (Wozencraft, Llangurig) was not far behind while Ryan Walters on Red Adair (Harris Merthyr) was far from disgraced in third.

The Novice final provided a fascinating race as the impressive Abernant (Greenway, Michaelchurch Eskley & Hardwick, Brecon) took on the rest, but the grey Alpine Heights with owner Brent Ladek from Cleobury Mortimer on board, surged up the home straight to deny the favourite, while Man of the Day (Harries Llanllwni) ran on to be third.

In the Grade B final the favourite was more fortunate as C U Boykin and owner Debbie Hitchcock led the way over the finish the hard working Ithon Eagle (Neville, Guilsfield) claimed second while Family Circle (Barton, Clynderwen) was third. The Grade A final was impressive as Merrington Man (Thomas, Rhymney) dominated the race his speed dismissing any challenges, this some reward to his owners for the faith they have kept with the horse even in the bad times. In second was the ever faithful Meadowbranch Mike (Jones, Llanllwni) while the indomitable Believe (Pritchard, Rhosgoch) was third.

The day concluded with the consolation in which Radnor Halleliuh made up for errors in his previous race to claim a creditable victory for blacksmith owner, trainer, and driver Andrew Bevan from Builth.

Detailed Results

Race 1 - Nursery
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Radnor Chips Gate £0
2 Boomshakalakka Gate £0
3 Ithon Ghost Gate £0
4 Vintage Lobell 20 £0
5 C U Salzburg 50 £0
6 Nia Patrol Gate £0
Time: 2.236

Race 2 - Nursery
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Overland Gate £0
2 Royal Fella Gate £0
3 Greenhill Megan 10 £0
4 Charlie Penlan Gate £0
5 King Creole Gate £0
6 Dreamcatcher Gate £0
Time: 2.310

Race 3 - Nursery
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Strike A Light Gate £0
2 Bon Hasty Gate £0
3 Merefield Jack Gate £0
4 Fairyhouse Gate £0
5 Betty Blue Gate £0
6 Troy II Gate £0
Time: 2.271

Race 4 - Baby Novice
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Strike A Light Gate £60
2 Hold The Cards Gate £30
3 Glan Levit 10 £15
4 Golden Nugget 10 £0
5 Lowri Dillon 20 £0
6 Ithon Hannah Gate £0
7 Annie Blue Gate £0
8 Eve Again Gate £0
Time: 2.235

Race 5 - Baby Novice
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Tricksters Dream 10 £60
2 Razzle Dazzle 20 £30
3 Fold Eventful Gate £15
4 Luck Matters Gate £0
5 Ashbrooks Billyboy 20 £0
6 Quick Silver II Gate £0
7 Durham Direct 10 £0
Time: 2.209

Race 6 - Baby Novice
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Faraway 20 £60
2 Greenhill Megan 10 £30
3 True Grit II 20 £15
4 The Crusader 20 £0
5 Zip Along 10 £0
6 Murray Gate £0
7 Ithon Gypsy 10 £0
8 Radnor Halleluliah Gate £0
Time: 2.198

Race 7 - Novice H1
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Abernant 10 £15
2 Alpine Heights Gate £0
3 Saunders Playboy Gate £0
4 Scoobys Dream 10 £0
5 Wellfield Inspired Gate £0
6 Brywins Snowflake 10 £0
7 Forgeside Mo 10 £0
8 Fold American Gate £0
9 The Sizzler Gate £0
Time: 2.169

Race 8 - Novice H2
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Man Of The Day Gate £15
2 Sunnyside Geoff 10 £0
3 Ithon Artist 10 £0
4 The Red Devil 10 £0
5 Red Adair 10 £0
6 Duggans Domino 20 £0
7 Vintage Lobell Gate £0
8 Fold Be Nimble 10 £0
Time: 2.196

Race 9 - Novice Final
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Alpine Heights Gate £120
2 Abernant 10 £25
3 Man Of The Day Gate £15
4 Scoobys Dream 10 £0
5 Saunders Playboy Gate £0
6 The Red Devil 10 £0
7 Ithon Artist 10 £0
8 Sunnyside Geoff 10 £0
Time: 2.177

Race 10 - Grade B H1
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Family Circle Gate £25
2 East of Eden 20 £0
3 Ayr Force One Gate £0
4 Serenity 10 £0
5 Ladyford Chap 20 £0
6 Top Cat Gate £0
7 Belle Heir Gate £0
Time: 2.203

Race 11 - Grade B H2
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Chinatown Maori Gate £25
2 Ithon Eagle 20 £0
3 Glan Master Gate £0
4 Maple Star 10 £0
5 Master Tom 20 £0
6 Shannons Pride 10 £0
Time: 2.180

Race 12 - Grade B H3
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 C U Boykin Gate £25
2 Bon Beti 10 £0
3 Coalford Time Gate £0
4 Scoot Sixty Six Gate £0
5 Blackfield Willy Gate £0
6 North West Art Gate £0
Time: 2.173

Race 13 - Grade B Final
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 C U Boykin Gate £150
2 Ithon Eagle 20 £40
3 Family Circle Gate £25
4 Chinatown Maori Gate £0
5 Ayr Force One Gate £0
6 Bon Beti 10 £0
7 Coalford Time Gate £0
8 East of Eden 20 £0
9 Glan Master Gate £0
Time: 2.165

Race 14 - Grade A H1
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Merrington Man Gate £30
2 Live the Dream Gate £0
3 Ithon Ace 20 £0
4 Bon Bethan 30 £0
5 Boomerang II 30 £0
6 Blackwell Jerry 20 £0
7 Shifty Gate £0
Time: 2.172

Race 15 - Grade A H2
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Meadowbranch Mike Gate £30
2 Vodka Express 10 £0
3 Bellieve 20 £0
4 Forgeside Jack Gate £0
5 Wellfield Xpense 10 £0
6 Mahogany Duke 20 £0
Time: 2.158

Race 16 - Grade A Final
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Merrington Man Gate £200
2 Meadowbranch Mike Gate £50
3 Bellieve 20 £30
4 Ithon Ace 20 £0
5 Live the Dream Gate £0
6 Bon Bethan 30 £0
7 Forgeside Jack Gate £0
8 Vodka Express 10 £0
Time: 2.151

Race 17 - Saddle
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Master Tom 30 £50
2 Serenity 20 £20
3 Top Cat 10 £10
4 Vyrnwy Chef 10 £0
5 Forgeside Mo Gate £0
6 Maple Star 20 £0
Time: 2.205

Race 18 - Junior
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Scoot Sixty Six 60 £0
2 Little Man II Gate £0
3 Red Adair 30 £0
Time: 2.231

Race 19 - Consolation
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Radnor Halleluliah Gate £20
2 The Sizzler 30 £10
3 Shannons Pride 70 £5
Time: 2.230