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Synod Inn Racing

Jump Straight to Results

On Saturday, Welsh trotting returned to ‘Cardiland’ for the first time in three years for the first grass meeting of the season. The lovely open track near Synod Inn is always a popular venue for horses and owners alike, and this year was no exception, with some excellent racing in the sunshine.

The first race this week was the Novice where Olympics and Andrew Hardwick made the most of their front row position, and dominated the race with a fluent run for owner-trainers the Mills family from Llanddewi, while the stayer Luminite (Collingwood, Huntington) made ground up the final straight to claim second and Beg For Mercy (Tromans, Newcastle Emlyn) held on for third.

The first Baby Novice race provided a comfortable win for Zulu Warrior on her promotion to the grade, this impeccably bred youngster out of the outstanding race mare Claires Own is an exciting prospect for the Tromans family from Newcastle Emlyn with owner, trainer Mathew Tromans on board. In second was Fold Allstar rewarding her owner Lorna Bird for the long journey from Presteigne while the talented Immortal Storm (Harries, Merthyr) claimed third place.

The second Baby Novice race included all horses off the 20 yard mark so ensuring one would move up to the Novices. It was the speedy Lanehouse Girl with owner Steve Lewis from Llanbister on board, on her first season with Wales & Borders, who took advantage of a gap on the inside up the final straight, to claim victory ahead of fast finishing Blackfield Okydoki (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) second again this week, while Greenhill Gus (Dowse, Aberystwyth) on his first race of the season, after leading early on, finished third.

The tight handicap in the Grade B always produces a close race. Whiskyandwater (Morgan, Knighton), driven by Lynn Boxhall made the most of pole position and led throughout the race but there was a surge of horses up the home straight leading to a blanket finish. They could not quite head the consistent Whiskyandwater as he went one better than last week’s second place, just a whisker behind was the fast finishing Alibis Dream (Lloyd, Gladestry) while Llwyns Mercy (Collingwood, Huntington) was third.

In the Grade A, the five top class horses, all have their particular fans, again the handicap was an advantage. Dernol Yankee the long striding horse belonging to hill farmer Edward Wozencraft from Llangurig and driven by his trainer Andrew Hardwick led from the start and secured a confident win, from the veteran thirteen year old Lakeside Pan belonging to long time supporter John Elder from New Quay, while the back marker Ontop Shouder Cuda (Bevan, Llanddewi) ran on into third. This win gave Andrew Hardwick his second win of the day.

After the break, racing continued with the Nursery which is the race for the beginners to start their careers, there is no betting on the race, however it is still competitive and this week the winner was Ellavalad and his owner Bill Hughes from Cwmbach, was ecstatic, he is a real sportsman who always races for fun. In second was the impressive Dernol Ebony (Staples, Merthyr) while another talented horse Ithon Papa (Rowlands, Rhayader) was third.

The Baby Novice consolation race was next, this is a race which gives horses a second chance if their initial race didn’t go to plan. GG Rogue took it up from Bethany after the first quarter, but on the home straight the home-bred Bethany (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) stuck her head out to win for driver Janet Thomas while GG Rogue and his owner Steve Lloyd from Painscastle was second and Victoria Penlan (Thomas Pontypridd) was third.

The final race of the day was the Free For All this race allows all the top horses the chance to race off an equal handicap on the gate, but the draw is still important. Pole position went to the ever-green Lakeside Pan, a horse probably in the twilight of his career at 13 years of age, but still one of the ‘stars’ of racing. Janet Thomas as usual, was in the seat, she guided him around the track and despite being constantly challenged, they entered the home straight at the front, and he flew up to the line of this one of his favourite tracks, to record a very popular victory for local owner John Elder who has been racing for more than seventy years. This victory gave Janet a back to back double, and probably epitomises the fun in Welsh trotting, the traditional rural sport.

Next weekend is the Kington and Vale of Arrow race meeting this year being held on Broadheath common at Presteigne on Saturday June 4th starting at 1.30pm.

Detailed Results

Race 1 - Novice
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Olympics Gate £300
2 Luminite 10 £60
3 Beg For Mercy 20 £40
4 Lawless 20 £0
5 Afanbellsprincess 10 £0
Time: 2.085

Race 2 - Baby Novice
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Zulu Warrior Gate £100
2 Fold Allstar Gate £30
3 Immortal Storm 20 £20
4 Victoria Penlan 20 £0
5 Bethany 20 £0
Time: 2.109

Race 3 - Baby Novice
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Lanehouse Girl 20 £100
2 Blackfield Okydoky 20 £30
3 Greenhill Gus 20 £20
4 GG Rogue 20 £0
Time: 2.105

Race 4 - Grade B
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Whiskeyandwater Gate £400
2 Alibis Dream Gate £70
3 Llwyns Mercy Gate £40
4 Half Penny Gate £0
5 Kentucky Roam Gate £0
6 Lakeview Meg Gate £0
F Blytheview JJ Gate £0
Time: 2.073

Race 5 - Grade A
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Dernol Yankee Gate £500
2 Lakeside Pan 20 £80
3 Ontop Shouder Cuda 50 £40
4 Second Affair 20 £0
5 Happy Hands 10 £0
Time: 2.042

Race 6 - Nursery
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Ellavalad Gate £0
2 Dernol Ebony Gate £0
3 Ithon Papa Gate £0
4 Black Velvet II Gate £0
Time: 2.203

Race 7 - Consolation
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Bethany Gate £60
2 GG Rogue Gate £30
3 Victoria Penlan Gate £20
Time: 2.171

Race 8 - FFA
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Lakeside Pan Gate £200
2 Ontop Shouder Cuda Gate £40
3 Alibis Dream Gate £20
4 Second Affair Gate £0
Time: 2.046