Joint Meeting with BHRC
On Saturday there was a joint meeting of harness racing between the two clubs, the first since such event since 1999. It could not have been a better day with beautiful sunshine, with the lovely track at Almeley, providing some exceptional racing. The races were all straight races and run in four batches of four or five races, with Wales & West running the first batch, then Mid Wales & Borders and then a repeat to conclude the meeting.
The first Wales & West maiden was won convincingly by Natalie Camden (Millstream Stud) with Steve Lees at the controls, in second was Ayr Hostess (P Connors) while Brywins Playgirl (G Meachin) was third. In the second race it was the imaginatively named Whiskeyandwater (J Lewis) driven by trainer Jason Podmore who came home in front of Mahogany Dreamer (M John) with Symlog Sofia (P Davies) in third. The Novice race gave Jason Podmore a back to back winner when the favourite Blytheview Peach (C Podmore) romped home in front of Afanbellsprincess (T Jones) and Kindly Holly (B Strickland). The Grade 1 pace was won by Sherwood Bluey driven by Steve Lees for the Millstream Stud from Come By (H Price) in second and Rosie Du (K Thomas) in third.
The Mid Wales & Border Counties Nursery race was won by C U Maggie (Bevan Lladdewi) a progressive mare driven by Mel Langford, in second was Camden Lock with new driver Liz Samuel at the controls while Afan Meteor (Sargent Newbridge) was third. The first Baby Novice race saw Mel claim another win to propel Evenwood Thumps up (Lewis Llanyre) into the Novice section as they came home ahead of Ook whose coming (Evans Brecon) with Ladyford John (Duggan Llangunllo) in third. Life Today has been trained by Andrew Bevan for the last few weeks as owner Austin Hughes is busy on a building project and Andrew managed to control the race to claim a memorable victory in front of backmarker Lakeside Glory (Jones Brecon) and Turn the Paige (Perks Presteigne). The first Novice saw Touch of Chaps (Randell Ammanford) show his class with trainer Rhun Wilson at the controls, while Lanehouse Patch (Thomas Merthyr) was second and The Wow Factor (Lewis Welshpool) third.
The Wales & West HRA Grade 1 pace was won by Lyons Starlight owned by J Mound and driven by David Taff, in second was Rhyds Firebird (J Connors) while Style Matters (L Jones) was third. Shark Penlan (G Jones) won the mixed Grade 1 and 2 handicap driven by Alan Jones with That’s Life Again (M Richards) in second and Wellfield Picaso (R Richards) in third. Jerry Connors drove Talavary Activator (T Knott) to victory in the Grade 2 to 4 handicap race ahead of Garth’s Jupiter (P Davies) and James Brown (G Robson) who claimed the minor placings. Steve Lees steered Sams Teatime to victory in the Grade 3 & 4 race for S Taff while John Barley (G Roach) was second and Masquerade Avenue (D Davies) was third. Jason Podmore claimed his third win of the afternoon in the Grade 3 & 4 pace driving the aptly named Blue Incredible (C Podmore) while In the Ayr (B & B Kelly) was second with Buckland Fox Trot (M Davies) in third.
In the Mid Wales & Border Counties second Novice Shakalakka Boom Boom (Thomas Llandeilo) with Rhun Wilson in the seat roared home in front of Forest Surprise (Miles Merthyr) and Brywins sweetheart (Marr Ammanford). In the first Grade B race Arctic Prince (Gwatkin Evenjobb) ran on gamely to be first passed the post, in second was Habberley Haste (Lloyd New Radnor) while Camden Lock and Robin Lloyd were third. For One Night Only (Wilson Llanfihangel ar arth) provided further proof of his speed in the second Grade B partnered as always by trainer Rhun Wilson winning from Ayr Ontario (Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey) and Kickstart (Williams, Brecon). In the first Grade A race Ithon Inmate (Price Brecon) won with trainer Derek Pritchard on board, with the minor places going to Habberley Playboy (Johns & Gittins Shrewsbury) and Best of the Fleet (Lewis Welshpool). The final race of the day was another Grade A race where Rebus (Thomas Rhymney) shot out of the gate and with the help of driver Mark Evans proved impossible to catch, in second was Saorlas Glory (Neville Guilsfield) while No mercy (Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey) was third.
Next week is the final race meeting of the season, the atmospheric charity meeting; where pride and pleasure take centre stage, the prize money is low but the prestige is high as everyone wants to finish the season with a flourish. The race meeting is at Almeley track on Saturday September 24th starting at 1.30pm with all profits going to charity.
Detailed Results
Race 1 - Nursery | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | C U Maggie | Gate | £0 | |
2 | Camden Lock | 30 | £0 | |
3 | Afan Meteor | Gate | £0 | |
4 | Hello Vera | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Fire Lily | Gate | £0 | |
6 | Sable Sam | 30 | £0 | |
7 | Kentucky Roam | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.166 | ||||
Race 2 - Baby Novice | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Evenwood Thumps Up | 20 | £60 | |
2 | Ook Whos Coming | 10 | £20 | |
3 | Ladyford John | Gate | £10 | |
4 | Holmes Wildfire | 10 | £0 | |
5 | Universal Soldier | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.128 | ||||
Race 3 - Baby Novice | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Life Today | Gate | £60 | |
2 | Lakeside Glory | 20 | £20 | |
3 | Turn The Paige | 10 | £10 | |
4 | Habberley Anne | 10 | £0 | |
5 | Krak De Chevalier | 10 | £0 | |
Time: 2.160 | ||||
Race 4 - Novice | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Touch Of Chaps | 10 | £100 | |
2 | Lane House Patch | Gate | £40 | |
3 | The Wow Factor | Gate | £20 | |
4 | Purple Connection | 20 | £0 | |
5 | Danny Blue | 10 | £0 | |
6 | Wellfield Wally | 10 | £0 | |
7 | Sable Sam | 20 | £0 | |
Time: 2.101 | ||||
Race 5 - Novice | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Shakalakaboom Boom | Gate | £100 | |
2 | Forest Surprise | 20 | £40 | |
3 | Brywins Sweetheart | 10 | £20 | |
4 | George Gentle | 20 | £0 | |
5 | Fronfelen Duchess | 10 | £0 | |
6 | Tyssul Penny Lane | 10 | £0 | |
Time: 2.116 | ||||
Race 6 - Grade B | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Arctic Prince | Gate | £180 | |
2 | Habberley Haste | Gate | £40 | |
3 | Camden Lock | Gate | £20 | |
4 | Tillies Larg | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Makemeamillionayr | 10 | £0 | |
6 | Tyssul Pearl | Gate | £0 | |
7 | Beacon Sorcerer | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.086 | ||||
Race 7 - Grade B | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | For One Night Only | 10 | £180 | |
2 | Ayr Ontario | Gate | £40 | |
3 | Kickstart | Gate | £0 | |
4 | Ithon Hannah | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Greenhill Cliff | Gate | £0 | |
6 | Bon Hasty | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.087 | ||||
Race 8 - Grade A | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Ithon Inmate | 20 | £200 | |
2 | Habberley Playboy | Gate | £40 | |
3 | Best of the Fleet | Gate | £20 | |
4 | Scoobys Dream | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Dernol Duke | 10 | £0 | |
Time: 2.088 | ||||
Race 9 - Grade A | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Rebus | Gate | £200 | |
2 | Saorlas Glory | Gate | £40 | |
3 | No Mercy | Gate | £20 | |
4 | Meadowland Hasty | Gate | £0 | |
5 | Strike A Light | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.134 | ||||