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Dead Heat Wonder at Penybont

Jump Straight to Results

The first Wednesday of August means only one thing for Welsh trotting folk – Penybont races, the Wembley of Wales, when everyone comes with hopes and dreams, some sustained while others are shattered. The weather was wonderful and there was plenty of drama on this unique track on the banks of the River Ithon.

Lady Sunbeam (Greenway Michaelchurch Eskley) kicked off the proceedings by winning the first Nursery from Greenhill Ani (Williams Brecon) and Hyer Temptation (Thomas Tregroes). In the second Nursery Glan Marie (Evans Talgarreg) came home just in front of Just Hold On (Neville Guilsfield) and Big Harry (Duggan Llangunllo).

The real competitive races began with the Novice heats. In the first, newly promoted Nimble’s Dream (Lloyd Kington) driven by Lee Morris from Leominster claimed victory ahead of Fold American (Perks Presteigne) and Brywins Snowflake (Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey). Cross Current (Sisto Glanamman) with Derek Pritchard on board was first over the line in the second Novice heat from Greenhill Cliff (Williams, Brecon) and another new recruit Durham Direct (Hughes Builth Wells). In the third Novice heat Strike a Light with owner Linda Atherton from Narberth on board struck for home early and held on to beat Brywins Jo Jo (Jones Ammanford) and Sunnyside Geoff (Williams Brecon).

The little homebred mare from the Pritchard stable of Rhosgoch East of Eden took the first heat in the Grade B with the other Atherton runner Faraway in second and Scarlet Lady (Bevan Builth) in third. The new open horse Highbrooks Impress (Probert Merthyr) driven by Mark Evans from Brecon predictably won the second B heat from the flying grey Alpine Heights (Davies Kington) and another new recruit Wellfield Inspired (Griffiths Pontardawe).

Meadowbranch Mike (Jones Llanllwni) driven by trainer Debbie Hitchcock from Haverfordwest were jubilant in the first Grade A heat while Saunders Playboy (Pritchard Rhosgoch) claimed second and Ithon Ace (Williams Shrewsbury) was third. The camera identified Merrington Man (Thomas Rhymney) and Mark Evans as the winner of the second heat of the Grade A inches in front of Bon Bethan (Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey) with Fold be Nimble (Perks Presteigne) in third and Believe (Pritchard Rhosgoch) qualifying in fourth.

Ithon Hope the impressive four year old belonging to the Bevan family from Builth concluded his season’s campaign with a win in the first Baby Novice so he will take his place in the Novice section when he returns to racing next year, a close second was Murray (Gittins FourCrosses) with Blackies Boy (Prosser Libanus) third.

In the second Baby Novice, Rhun Wilson from Pencader, with his new purchase A & A’s Beauty just got the verdict from Dragon Fly (Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey) with Merefield Jack (Broome Ludlow) third. A & A’s Beauty also earned her ticket to the Novices. In the third race Black Mountain Jess (Gibbons Llanigon) provided another win for her trainer Derek Pritchard from Rhosgoch beating Ithon Gem (Walker Kelsall) and Beacon Sorcerer (Bevan Llanddewi).

The saddle race provided a popular win for local jockey Jayne Bevan from Llanddewi on the diminutive Master Tom (Owens Shobdon), with pony racing jockey Connor Flint on his own Tricksters Dream was second and Family Circle (Barton Clynderwen) was third.

The Novice Final proved another cracking race with the maximum 9 runners battling for supremacy. Greenhill Cliff (Williams Brecon) partnered by Mark Evans a garage mechanicfrom Brecon was first over the line from Nimbles Dream (Lloyd Kington) with Strike a Light (Atherton Narberth) in third.

In the Grade B Final Faraway with Linda Atherton from Narberth just got the better of Highbrooks Impress (Probert Merthyr) while East of Eden (Pritchard Rhosgoch) claimed third.

In the Grade A Final the clock stopped on the fastest time of the day, but even with the camera the leaders could not be divided so after much deliberation a dead heat was declared between Fold be Nimble (Perks Presteigne) and Believe (Pritchard Rhosgoch) last year’s winner. Meadwobranch Mike came home in third.

The local mile and a half race has been on the race card at Penybont since the first race meeting in 1921 and with a full compliment of runners picking the winner was no easy task, but it was the back marker Obi-wan-kenobi (Williams Llanafan) who used the longer distance to make up his 80 yard handicap to beat Black Mountain Jess (Gibbons Llanigon) and Charlie Penlan (Lloyd Painscastle).

Only once in the long history of Penybont races has the A final produced a dead heat and that was in 1975, so 2011 will remain in the memory, for some very good racing where the camera was often consulted to confirm a result, but even with the most modern technology sometimes a race is just too close to call.

Detailed Results

Race 1 - Nursery
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Lady Sunbeam Gate £0
2 Greenhill Ani Gate £0
3 Hyar Temptation Gate £0
4 Pilsbury Lady Gate £0
5 Dernol Duke Gate £0
Time: 2.470

Race 2 - Nursery
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Glan Marie Gate £0
2 Just Hold On Gate £0
3 Big Harry Gate £0
4 Precious Cargo Gate £0
Time: 2.411

Race 3 - Baby Novice
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Ithon Hope 20 £75
2 Murray 10 £25
3 Blackies Boy Gate £15
4 Nia Patrol Gate £0
5 Miss Jackpot Gate £0
6 Hafod Grace 10 £0
Time: 2.326

Race 4 - Baby Novice
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 A And As Beauty 20 £75
2 Dragon Fly 10 £25
3 Merefield Jack 20 £15
4 Glan Martini Gate £0
5 Charlie Penlan 10 £0
6 Sable Sam 10 £0
Time: 2.317

Race 5 - Baby Novice
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Blackmountain Jess 10 £75
2 Ithon Gem 10 £25
3 Beacon Sorcerer Gate £15
4 Dragon Penlan Gate £0
5 Seren Penlan 20 £0
Time: 2.317

Race 6 - Novice H1
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Nimbles Dream Gate £30
2 Fold American 10 £15
3 Brywins Snowflake 10 £0
4 Boomshakalakka 20 £0
5 The Crusader Gate £0
6 Sandside Cash Gate £0
Time: 2.311

Race 7 - Novice H2
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Cross Current 10 £30
2 Greenhill Cliff Gate £15
3 Durham Direct Gate £0
4 Radnor Chips Gate £0
5 Ithon Ghost Gate £0
6 Aberelan 10 £0
PU Bon Hasty Gate £0
Time: 2.309

Race 8 - Novice H3
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Strike A Light 20 £30
2 Brywins Jo Jo 10 £15
3 Sunnyside Geoff 20 £0
4 Tricksters Dream 20 £0
5 Razzle Dazzle Gate £0
6 Fold Eventful 10 £0
Time: 2.262

Race 9 - Novice Final
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Greenhill Cliff Gate £150
2 Nimbles Dream Gate £75
3 Strike A Light 20 £30
4 Cross Current 10 £0
5 Brywins Snowflake 10 £0
6 Brywins Jo Jo 10 £0
7 Sunnyside Geoff 20 £0
8 Fold American 10 £0
9 Durham Direct Gate £0
Time: 2.276

Race 10 - Grade B H1
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 East of Eden Gate £50
2 Faraway Gate £15
3 Scarlet Lady Gate £0
4 C U Boykin Gate £0
5 Master Tom Gate £0
6 Abernant Gate £0
F Clares Own 10 £0
Time: 2.275

Race 11 - Grade B H2
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Highbrooks Impress Gate £50
2 Alpine Heights Gate £15
3 Wellfield Inspired Gate £0
4 The Red Devil 10 £0
5 Family Circle Gate £0
6 Chinatown Maori Gate £0
7 Glan Master Gate £0
8 Duggans Domino Gate £0
Time: 2.281

Race 12 - Grade B Final
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Faraway Gate £500
2 Highbrooks Impress Gate £100
3 East of Eden Gate £30
4 Wellfield Inspired Gate £0
5 Alpine Heights Gate £0
6 Scarlet Lady Gate £0
7 The Red Devil 10 £0
8 C U Boykin Gate £0
Time: 2.270

Race 13 - Grade A H1
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Meadowbranch Mike Gate £50
2 Saunders Playboy 10 £15
3 Ithon Ace Gate £0
4 Scoobys Dream 50 £0
5 Blackfield Buddy Gate £0
6 Carl Hall Gate £0
Time: 2.271

Race 14 - Grade A H2
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Merrington Man 30 £50
2 Bon Bethan Gate £15
3 Fold Be Nimble Gate £0
4 Bellieve Gate £0
5 Obi Wan Kenobi Gate £0
6 Serenity 20 £0
7 Mahogany Duke 20 £0
8 Ithon Eagle Gate £0
Time: 2.258

Race 15 - Grade A Final
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Bellieve Gate £550
1 Fold Be Nimble Gate £550
3 Meadowbranch Mike Gate £50
4 Saunders Playboy 10 £0
5 Scoobys Dream 50 £0
6 Bon Bethan Gate £0
7 Merrington Man 30 £0
8 Ithon Ace Gate £0
Time: 2.245

Race 16 - Saddle
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Master Tom 10 £100
2 Tricksters Dream Gate £50
3 Family Circle 10 £20
4 Serenity 50 £0
Time: 2.316

Race 17 - Other Local
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Obi Wan Kenobi 80 £100
2 Blackmountain Jess 10 £25
3 Charlie Penlan 10 £15
4 Radnor Chips 20 £0
5 Duggans Domino 60 £0
6 Boomshakalakka 50 £0
7 Seren Penlan 20 £0
8 Blackies Boy Gate £0
9 Bon Hasty 10 £0
Time: 3.385