Start of Season at Llandyfaelog
The trotting season has started and although Monday was a typical Bank Holiday with cool overcast weather the racing conditions were superb. Nowadays it is not only the professional tracks like Cheltenham and Aintree that water their course but Llandyfaelog committee taking very seriously their responsibilities of producing a track in the best condition possible, managed to apply enough water to make the going ideal. The first meeting is a path finder for the season and if 2007 continues like Monday’s races it will be another record breaking year.
The nursery was the first race, this is where the young horses have their first taste of racing. There were 4 entries and Mahogany Jake driven by Mathew Tromans for James Evans from Newcastle Emlyn produced a wonderful demonstration of racing efficiency, while Dewi Evans from Red Roses on his youngster Welsh Cowboy showed plenty of speed between his erratic moments and first time out Glan Master bred by Hefin Evans Talgarreg looks a horse for the future.
The first of the two Novice heats saw little Highbrooks Patrol driven by Aled Davies for popular ‘Cardi’ Will Jones Pontsian claim the spoils this erratic little horse is a real ‘tryer’, in second was Melanie Langford with Wellfield Cameron a horse which made its debut with Wales & Borders at the end of last season while Debbie Hitchcock and Hendre Harrier was third. In the slower second heat Fold Express driven by Wayne Knox for the Perks family from Presteigne swept over the line in front of Magical Current, Dewi Evans’ mare who looks a lot happier this season which could well be her last as she retires to stud.
Louisa Myers thinks nothing of travelling from Bristol to drive the Weigel family favourite Bon Bethan and the mare was happy to oblige with her first win of the season in the Grade B heat, in second place was the 2006 horse of the year Ceirion Shon owned by the Jones family from Llanllwni and driven as always by Debbie Hitchcock, while the little Merthyr mare Miss Bogart claimed third place. In the second heat the grey Live the Dream driven by Melanie Langford for her father Robert took top honours while Horst Weigel (Llanddewi Velfrey) driving Vodka Express was second.
Melanie followed with another win in the first Grade A heat driving newcomer Purple Rain owned by Terry Edwards of Bromfield, Purple Rain was impressive making up his handicap of thirty yards to beat the ever consistent Double Top (Hitchcock Haverfordwest) while young Lorna Perks on the little flying mare Fold Flight was third. Her stable companion Fold Surprise driven by ex National Hunt jockey Wayne Knox won the second Grade A heat beating Jack’s Delight and Melanie Langford into second.
A favourite feature of this race meeting is the Junior race and although there were only two runners it is good to see the ‘children of today’ as the commentator Colin Davies says, as they strive to become the ‘champions of tomorrow’. Rebecca Hitchcock gave Vrynwy Chef an impeccable run while Bethan Perks on Will Smith, the new Grade A horse belonging to Emma Langford, could only follow them home.
The three finals produced a fitting climax to the day’s racing, in the Novice Wellfield Cameron (Langford Pontardawe) reversed the heat positions to give him his ticket into the Grade B while Highbrooks Patrol (Jones Pontsian) had to settle for second and Fold Express (Perks Presteigne) was third. In the Grade B the Weigel family took first and second, it was ladies first as Louisa Myers and Bon Bethan led the way from Horst Weigel on Vodka Express while the Langford horse Live the Dream was third. Top marks in the Grade A final went to Fold Surprise (Perks Presteigne) this home bred horse who has experienced more than his fair share of injury romping home in front of stablemate Fold Flight with Jack’s Delight (Robert Langford Pontardawe) in third. One special feature of Wales & Border racing is the consolation race and this week gave a well deserved win for Lucky Nipper and the enthusiastic new owner Mathew Thomas from Llandeilo.
Altogether a wonderful start to the season and next Sunday May 13th we move to Brecon, racing on the show field alongside the river Usk with a 2 o’clock start.
Detailed Results
Race 1 - Nursery | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Mahogany Jake | Gate | £0 | |
2 | Welsh Cowboy | Gate | £0 | |
3 | Glan Master | Gate | £0 | |
99 | Lady Churchill | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.360 | ||||
Race 2 - Novice Heat1 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Highbrooks Patrol | 10 | £30 | |
2 | Wellfield Cameron | 20 | £0 | |
3 | Hendre Harrier | Gate | £0 | |
99 | Swifty | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.150 | ||||
Race 3 - Novice Heat 2 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Fold Express | 10 | £30 | |
2 | Magical Current | Gate | £0 | |
3 | Lucky Nipper | Gate | £0 | |
99 | Blackfield Baz | 10 | £0 | |
Time: 2.190 | ||||
Race 4 - Novice Final | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Wellfield Cameron | 20 | £80 | |
2 | Highbrooks Patrol | 10 | £20 | |
3 | Fold Express | 10 | £10 | |
99 | Magical Current | Gate | £0 | |
99 | Hendre Harrier | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.140 | ||||
Race 5 - Grade B Heat 1 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Bon Bethan | Gate | £30 | |
2 | Ceiron Shon | 10 | £0 | |
3 | Miss Bogart II | Gate | £0 | |
99 | Johnny Springbok | 20 | £0 | |
Time: 2.120 | ||||
Race 6 - Grade B Heat 2 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Live the Dream | 10 | £30 | |
2 | Vodka Express | 10 | £0 | |
3 | Epynt Adam | Gate | £0 | |
99 | Vyrnwy Chef | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.160 | ||||
Race 7 - Grade B Final | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Bon Bethan | Gate | £250 | |
2 | Vodka Express | 10 | £60 | |
3 | Live the Dream | 10 | £25 | |
99 | Ceiron Shon | 10 | £0 | |
99 | Miss Bogart II | Gate | £0 | |
Time: 2.110 | ||||
Race 8 - Grade A Heat 1 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Purple Rain | 30 | £30 | |
2 | Double Top | 10 | £0 | |
3 | Fold Flight | 40 | £0 | |
99 | Monkroyd Danger | Gate | £0 | |
99 | Sampras | 20 | £0 | |
Time: 2.130 | ||||
Race 9 - Grade A Heat 2 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Fold Surprise | Gate | £30 | |
2 | Jacks Delight | 10 | £0 | |
3 | Shermanator Sam | 10 | £0 | |
99 | Will Smith | 30 | £0 | |
Time: 2.160 | ||||
Race 10 - Grade A Final | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Fold Surprise | Gate | £250 | |
2 | Fold Flight | 40 | £60 | |
3 | Jacks Delight | 10 | £25 | |
99 | Shermanator Sam | 10 | £0 | |
99 | Double Top | 10 | £0 | |
Time: 2.110 | ||||
Race 11 - Junior | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Vyrnwy Chef | Gate | £15 | |
2 | Will Smith | 50 | £10 | |
Time: 2.100 | ||||
Race 12 - Consolation | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Position | Horse Name | Handicap | Prize | |
1 | Lucky Nipper | 10 | £20 | |
2 | Swifty | 10 | £10 | |
3 | Ithon Buster | Gate | £5 | |
Time: 2.230 | ||||