• 5
  • 1
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
1 2 3 4 5

Harness Racing Season Kicks Off

Jump Straight to Results

Llangadog has been the first race meeting of the trotting season for over a century, but there was nothing old fashioned about the racing at the Tair gwaith all weather track near Ammanford on Saturday. The weather was cold but the racing was red hot, with 15 horses making their debut with Mid Wales racing, it looks set fair for an exciting season of racing.

The nursery races introduce horses and new drivers to the sport, and this week the first race was won by Dragon Jack (Williams, Gorsgoch) with his young trainer Rhun Wilson at the controls, beating the experienced Clare’s Own with her young driver Helen Evans while Fold Elite (Perks Presteigne) was third. On his first outing Zestthewayilikeit owned, trained and driven by young Oliver Jones from Presteigne showed them the way home, with another newcomer Cardigan Boy (Gale, Gorslas) in second and Greenhill Nan (Thomas Rhymney) was third.

In the first heat of the Grade B Habberley Playboy (Peters Welshpool) took over where he left off last season, with an emphatic win, in the hands of his trainer Derek Pritchard, in second was his ex stablemate Habberley Haste (Lloyd, New Radnor) while Dragon Penlan (Barton, Clunderwen) with new driver Bridget Lewis, was third. Precious Cargo (Gwatkin, Evenjobb) another resident of the Pritchard stable at Rhosgoch, driven by young Jake Webb took the second heat of the Grade B while Brywins Lucky Charm (Jones, Brecon) one of the rising stars of last season, was second, with the homebred Miss Jackpot (Langford, Ammanford) in third.

Rhyds Desire (Thomas Rhymney) ably assisted by young steersman Mark Evans began his season’s campaign by winning the first heat of the Grade A, with Terripan Hanover (Davies Dihewydd) defying his advancing years in second place, and American Gigalo (Elder, Blaencelyn) was third. The Elder family from ‘Cardi-land’ had more to celebrate in the second heat when Lakeside Pan (John Elder, New Quay) ran an outstanding race to claim victory from the ever dependable No Mercy (Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey) while My Immortal (Evans Brecon) was third.

The Novice section was a straight race, but with eight horses, it was never an easy option. The talented Fold the Notes (Perks Presteigne) with young trainer Oliver Jones in the seat claimed the verdict from Tyssul Opal (Atherton-Rees, Narberth) with Arctic Prince (Gwatkin Evenjobb) in third place. Fold the Notes now moves up into open racing.

Ceirion Overway with owner Richard Williams from Tumble at the controls sped to the front in the first Baby Novice race and maintained his lead, ahead of Jake Lobell (White Porthcawl) with newcomer Itshallover (Meaney Merthyr) in third place. Kiplyn (Williams Brecon) another newcomer to the club, swept all before him in the second Baby Novice with trainer Andrew Hardwick in the seat, this well bred horse will now graduate to the Novices. In second place was Wellfield Wally (Barton Clunderwen) who battled hard on his debut, with George Gentle (Lewis, Welshpool) claiming third prize.

The dash is always a race of interest, and this week it was Wellfieldlifestyle (Edmunds, Porthcawl) partnered by Mark White who just got the better of the speed specialist Jango Fett (Hitchcock, Haverfordwest) while newcomer Makemeamillionayr (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) was third.

The day was rounded off with the two open finals, the Grade B saw the impressive Habberley Playboy (Peters, Welshpool) and trainer Derek Pritchard consolidate their winning form, with another victory, from another notable combination, Brywins Lucky Charm (Jones Brecon) while Bridget Lewis newly promoted to the sulky seat, urged her mother’s Dragon Penlan (Barton, Clunderwen) into third place. In the Grade A Lakeside Pan (Elder, New Quay) added to his last season’s glory with an inspiring race aided by Wayne Elder winning from the superbly talented My Immortal (Evans, Brecon) with No Mercy (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) sneaking into third.

It proved a wonderful day of good racing to start a season full of expectation. The season continues with another meeting at the superb all-weather facilities of Tair gwaith near Ammanford on Saturday May 9th first race 1.30 pm.

Detailed Results

Race 1 - Nursery
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Dragon Jack Gate £0
2 Clares Own Gate £0
3 Fold Elite Gate £0
4 Lakeview Meg Gate £0
5 Jets Boy Gate £0
Time: 2.133

Race 2 - Nursery
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Zestthewayilikeit Gate £0
2 Cardigan Boy Gate £0
3 Greenhill Nan Gate £0
4 Ernest Jack Gate £0
DQ Highbrooks Martini Gate £0
Time: 2.147

Race 3 - Baby Novice
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Ceiron Overway Gate £60
2 Jake Lobell 10 £30
3 Itshallover 20 £15
4 Blackfield Judy 20 £0
5 Hendre Yankee 10 £0
6 Evenwood Lipstick 20 £0
Time: 2.085

Race 4 - Baby Novice
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Kiplyn 20 £60
2 Wellfield Wally 20 £30
3 George Gentle 10 £15
4 Evenwood Geezer 20 £0
5 Krak De Chevalier Gate £0
Time: 2.095

Race 5 - Novice
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Fold The Notes 20 £75
2 Tyssul Opal Gate £30
3 Arctic Prince 10 £15
4 Brywins Sweetheart Gate £0
5 Blackngold 10 £0
6 Hyar Temptation 20 £0
7 Blackfield Billie Gate £0
8 Dolan Hasty 10 £0
Time: 2.057

Race 6 - Grade B H1
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Habberley Playboy Gate £30
2 Habberley Haste Gate £20
3 Dragon Penlan Gate £10
4 Brywins Jo Jo Gate £0
5 Makemeamillionayr 20 £0
6 Bon Hasty Gate £0
7 Runaway Girl 20 £0
Time: 2.050

Race 7 - Grade B H2
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Precious Cargo Gate £30
2 Brywins Luckycharm Gate £20
3 Miss Jackpot Gate £10
4 Blackfield Buddy 20 £0
5 Greenhill Emily Gate £0
6 Ithon Ghost Gate £0
7 Too Hot Today 20 £0
Time: 2.067

Race 8 - Grade B Final
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Habberley Playboy Gate £250
2 Brywins Luckycharm Gate £70
3 Dragon Penlan Gate £30
4 Precious Cargo Gate £0
99 Brywins Jo Jo Gate £0
99 Habberley Haste Gate £0
99 Blackfield Buddy 20 £0
99 Miss Jackpot Gate £0
Time: 2.063

Race 9 - Grade A H1
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Rhyds Desire Gate £30
2 Terripan Hanover Gate £20
3 American Gigolo Gate £10
4 Dernol Duke Gate £0
5 Saorlas Glory 20 £0
6 Chaps Commander 10 £0
7 Best of the Fleet 40 £0
Time: 2.049

Race 10 - Grade A H2
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Lakeside Pan Gate £30
2 No Mercy 10 £20
3 My Immortal Gate £10
4 Bon Jasper 20 £0
99 Wellfieldlifestyle Gate £0
99 Hilltop West Art Gate £0
99 IB Gucci 10 £0
Time: 2.050

Race 11 - Grade A Final
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Lakeside Pan Gate £300
2 My Immortal Gate £70
3 No Mercy 10 £30
4 American Gigolo Gate £0
5 Terripan Hanover Gate £0
6 Bon Jasper 20 £0
7 Dernol Duke Gate £0
8 Rhyds Desire Gate £0
Time: 2.063

Race 12 - Dash
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Wellfieldlifestyle 20 £85
2 Jango Fett Gate £40
3 Makemeamillionayr 20 £20
4 Blackngold Gate £0
Time: 1.354