Almeley Racing Results
Our first visit to Herefordshire this year on a day of sunshine and showers, produced wonderful racing on the beautiful open track, which allows all the horses to run to their full potential.
The first nursery race saw Grecho the youngster belonging to Mike Lloyd from Kingswood, leading them home, Dernol Duke (Wozencraft Llangurig) was second while Ithon Gift (Bird Ludlow) recovering from her mishap last week was third. In the second race the aptly named Just Hold On (Neville Guilsfield) probably did more than his name suggests in beating an improved Precious Cargo (Gwatkin Evenjobb) while Tommy the Dealer (Lewis Llanbister) ran on well to be third.
Almeley committee like to plan an appealing race programme with the main open races being one and a quarter mile handicaps. Leading driver Mark Evans and Sunnyside Geoff the Brecon horse in scintillating form showed the extra distance was no prevention from winning another cup in the Grade B for the Williams/Hardwick team, East of Eden the homebred mare from the Pritchard stable at Rhosgoch was second with Brywins Snowflake (Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey) in third.
The first of the Grade A races provided a first win in the premiere division for recently promoted The Red Devil (Greenway Michaelchurch Eskley) with Andrew Hardwick in the seat from the ‘always placed’ Meadowbranch Mike (Jones Llanllwni) while the much improved Saunders Playboy (Pritchard Rhosgoch) was third. Scoobys Dream (Lloyd Kington) repeated his last year’s success when he came off the back to win the second Grade A by a whisker from the black beauty, Bon Bethan (Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey) with Forgeside Jack (Walker Gwernogle) running in fine form to be third.
In the first Novice race the depth of local trotting know-how was well illustrated as Kington butcher, Glyn Slade-Jones returned to the sulky seat with Elizabeth Collingwood’s Bon Hasty. This talented horse has been beset with problems this season, but Glyn has been on call to lend advice, and partnered him in his come-back, they steamed home in front of the much fancied Greenhill Cliff (Williams Brecon) with Brywins Jo Jo (Jones Ammanford) in third. Janet Thomas the farmer’s wife from Tregroes showed exuberant emotion when her homebred True Grit was first passed the post in front of the backmarker Tricksters Dream (Flint Porthcawl) with Merefield Jack (Broome Ludlow) in third.
Black Mountain Jess (Gibbons Llanigon) is a big beautiful black mare, this year for the first time trained by her owner, so when Derek Pritchard steered her to victory in the first Baby Novice race there was much jubilation in the paddock, as this win will propel her into the Novices. In second was another backmarker Blackies Boy (Prosser Libanus) while Miss Thunder (Thomas Rhymney) was third.
In the second Baby Novice Janet Thomas from Tregroes still celebrating from her earlier win, partnered Hyar Temptation to a repeat of last week’s success, scoring a rare double with her two home-breds, much to the delight of the partisan crowd. In second place was Greenhill Ani (Williams Brecon) while Beacon Sorcerer (Bevan Llanddewi) was third.
The Almeley track provides perfect conditions for the Junior race and it was pleasing to see the return of Ellie Bevan from Llanddewi on the diminutive Master Tom (Owens Shobdon) as they returned to their winning ways while Clares Own (Evans Newcastle Emlyn) and Celyn Evans the owners’ daughter, after a slightly nervous start, made tremendous ground in the second lap, this thirteen year old looks set to become a force to be reckoned with, after only her first race.
Although the saddle race is usually priority for lady riders, this week Connor Flint from Porthcawl, the ex junior champion jockey partnered his own Tricksters Dream in a bid to qualify this mare, who has been stranded on the back of the handicap all season, to break into open racing. They set off at a furious pace and were never headed and so next week will be eligible for the Grade B. In second was Sunnyside Geoff (Williams Brecon) while Bon Bethan (Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey) was third.
The Dash provided a full card of nine runners with C U Boykin (Hitchcock Haverfordwest) dispelling any doubts of his ability to earn his corn, by winning with owner Debbie on board, in second was Abernant (Greenway Michaelchurch Eskley & Hardwick Brecon) who seems over his earlier problems while East of Eden (Pritchard Rhosgoch) was third.
The Free For All provides a platform for the top horses to compete on level terms and it was Merrington Man (Thomas Rhymney) a horse who in the later part of the season has really established a following, and leading driver Mark Evans who dictated the race, beating the flamboyant Scoobys Dream (Lloyd Kington) and the reliable Meadowbranch Mike (Jones Llanllwni).
The Consolation was won by Miss Thunder the new horse belonging to the Thomas family from Rhymney with Dragon Fly (Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey) in second and Seren Penlan (Lloyd Painscastle) in third.
Detailed Results
Race 1 - Nursery | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Grecho | Gate | £0 | |
2 | Dernol Duke | Gate | £0 | |
3 | Ithon Gift | Gate | £0 | |
4 | Greenhill Marina | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Habberley Mayday | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.218 | ||||
Race 2 - Nursery | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Just Hold On | Gate | £0 | |
2 | Precious Cargo | Gate | £0 | |
3 | Tommy The Dealer | Gate | £0 | |
4 | Immortal Ellie | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Galaxy B | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.239 | ||||
Race 3 - Baby Novice | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Blackmountain Jess | 20 | £60 | |
2 | Blackies Boy | 20 | £25 | |
3 | Miss Thunder | 10 | £15 | |
4 | Big Harry | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Glan Martini | Gate | £0 | |
6 | Seren Penlan | 20 | £0 | |
7 | Sable Sam | 20 | £0 | |
8 | Village Tom | 10 | £0 | |
Time: 2.194 | ||||
Race 4 - Baby Novice | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Hyar Temptation | 10 | £60 | |
2 | Greenhill Ani | 20 | £25 | |
3 | Beacon Sorcerer | 20 | £15 | |
4 | Nia Patrol | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Murray | 20 | £0 | |
6 | The Contender | 10 | £0 | |
7 | Country Striker | 20 | £0 | |
8 | Glan Marie | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.163 | ||||
Race 5 - Novice | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Bon Hasty | 10 | £100 | |
2 | Greenhill Cliff | 10 | £30 | |
3 | Brywins Jo Jo | 10 | £20 | |
4 | Ithon Gem | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Dragon Fly | Gate | £0 | |
6 | Fold Eventful | 10 | £0 | |
7 | Ithon Ghost | Gate | £0 | |
8 | Durham Direct | 10 | £0 | |
Time: 2.147 | ||||
Race 6 - Novice | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | True Grit II | Gate | £100 | |
2 | Tricksters Dream | 20 | £30 | |
3 | Merefield Jack | Gate | £20 | |
4 | Nimbles Dream | 10 | £0 | |
5 | Fold American | 10 | £0 | |
6 | A And As Beauty | 10 | £0 | |
7 | Greenhill Megan | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.148 | ||||
Race 7 - Grade B | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Sunnyside Geoff | 10 | £200 | |
2 | East of Eden | Gate | £50 | |
3 | Brywins Snowflake | Gate | £25 | |
4 | Scarlet Lady | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Clares Own | 20 | £0 | |
6 | C U Boykin | 10 | £0 | |
7 | Duggans Domino | Gate | £0 | |
8 | Ithon Cracker | Gate | £0 | |
9 | Boomshakalakka | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.562 | ||||
Race 8 - Grade A | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | The Red Devil | Gate | £200 | |
2 | Meadowbranch Mike | 10 | £40 | |
3 | Saunders Playboy | 10 | £20 | |
4 | Merrington Man | 50 | £0 | |
5 | Ithon Eagle | Gate | £0 | |
6 | Fold Be Nimble | 30 | £0 | |
Time: 2.562 | ||||
Race 9 - Grade A | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Scoobys Dream | 50 | £200 | |
2 | Bon Bethan | Gate | £40 | |
3 | Forgeside Jack | Gate | £20 | |
4 | Mahogany Duke | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Bellieve | 40 | £0 | |
6 | Serenity | 20 | £0 | |
Time: 2.564 | ||||
Race 10 - Saddle | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Tricksters Dream | Gate | £70 | |
2 | Sunnyside Geoff | 20 | £30 | |
3 | Bon Bethan | 30 | £20 | |
4 | Ithon Cracker | 10 | £0 | |
Time: 2.119 | ||||
Race 11 - Dash | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | C U Boykin | 10 | £70 | |
2 | Abernant | Gate | £30 | |
3 | East of Eden | Gate | £20 | |
4 | Scarlet Lady | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Bon Hasty | Gate | £0 | |
6 | Forgeside Jack | 20 | £0 | |
7 | Brywins Snowflake | Gate | £0 | |
8 | Nimbles Dream | Gate | £0 | |
9 | Boomshakalakka | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 1.410 | ||||
Race 12 - Junior | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Master Tom | Gate | £20 | |
2 | Clares Own | 20 | £10 | |
Time: 2.248 | ||||
Race 13 - FFA | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Merrington Man | Gate | £150 | |
2 | Scoobys Dream | Gate | £50 | |
3 | Meadowbranch Mike | Gate | £25 | |
4 | Bellieve | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Ithon Eagle | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.085 | ||||
Race 14 - Consolation | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Miss Thunder | Gate | £15 | |
2 | Dragon Fly | 20 | £0 | |
3 | Seren Penlan | 10 | £0 | |
Time: 2.188 | ||||