Shropshire should be proud
The Non Whip race is only for brave horses, and the conditions were only for brave drivers, but Bon Betti and Derek Pritchard showed their nerves of steel to win the first division. The gutsy Bon Bethan won the final race of the day with owner Horst Weigel.
Sunday kicked off with straight races in the Novice, won by two backmarkers, Ceirion Shon (Jones, Llanllwni) and Wayward Tom (Williams, Llandewi Brefi) who have been upgraded to the Grade B to hassle their new opponents. The Novice final (following Saturday’s heats) was a heart stopper: Harry Penlan (Robin Lloyd, Painscastle) led the whole way only to be ground down by Obi Wan Kenobi (Williams, Llanafan) in the closest of photo finishes.
Louisa Myers drove the brave family mare Bon Bethan to a nice win in the Grade B straight race. But it was the Grade B final that caused a real stir amongst the crowd as they were awarded another photo finish. Stunning grey, Live The Dream (Langford, Pontardawe), has taken a long time to click but he certainly looked the business with Melanie Langford in the seat as he beat Ithon Ace (Williams, Shrewsbury).
Mark White was brave to challenge Boomerang on foot on Saturday. To watch him go in the Grade A straight race it is clear what a magnificent horse he is, winning this race off a massive 50 yard trail: a lovely reward for owners Alan and Raynor Peters who worked so hard to make this meeting worthwhile.
Fortunately Best Man had a pumped up tyre on Sunday – he needed it because Jack’s Delight and Georgia Lobell were close on his heels in the Grade A final – and it was all he needed to take the big race of the day for owner Ivor Owens and driver Wayne Knox.
Sabrina Stephens won her second Junior race of the weekend aboard Scoot 66 but Bethan Perks on Fold Rajah was only whiskers behind and Vintage Lobell gave Emma Layton an absolutely wonderful first drive to follow closely in third.
It is special enough for a trotter to beat pacers occasionally, but twice in a row?? Yes, Belleheir did it again in the Baby Novice for Brent Ladek. What a great horse!
Jayne Bevan remains unbeaten this season and was alert enough to win again with Thunder Lobell in a good Saddle race.
The tiny tornado Fold Flight triumphed again, winning the Free For All in a scintillating finish for owner/driver Lorna Perks.
The Weigels had a great weekend and notched up their fourth win with Vodka Express in his favourite race, the Six Furlong. Brent Ladek was also quite invincible and Hilltop Crystal, not to be outdone by Belleheir, cruised home in the Mile and a Half.
The wonderful two days ended with the Two Mile race. Eccles (aged seventeen) led the race throughout, only to pull away from the others in the last lap and float over the line by a distance. And he looked as if he could go on for another two miles. Well done Eccles!
And well done Ludlow, thanks for a great weekend. WBC next meet for your entertainment in Aberystwyth on Saturday the 29th.
Detailed Results
| Race 2 - Novice Straight Race (2) | ||||
| Position | Horse Name | Driver | ||
| 1 | Ceirion Shon | Debbie Hitchcock | ||
| 2 | Classic Art | Mathew Herlihy | ||
| 3 | Wellfield Xpense | Melanie Langford | ||
| Time: 02:16 | ||||
| Race 1 - Novice Straight Race (1) | ||||
| Position | Horse Name | Driver | ||
| 1 | Wayward Tom | Mathew Herlihy | ||
| 2 | Falcon Lobell | Derek Pritchard | ||
| 3 | Forgeside Mo | Marc Jones | ||
| Time: 02:17 | ||||
| Race 3 - Novice Final | ||||
| Position | Horse Name | Driver | ||
| 1 | Obi-Wan-Kenobi | Derek Pritchard | ||
| 2 | Harry Penlan | Robin Lloyd | ||
| 3 | Hilltop Crystal | Brent Ladek | ||
| Time: 02:13 | ||||
| Race 4 - Grade B Final | ||||
| Position | Horse Name | Driver | ||
| 1 | Live the Dream | Melanie Langford | ||
| 2 | Ithon Ace | Stephen Williams | ||
| 3 | Charmagers Prospect | Marc Jones | ||
| Time: 02:12 | ||||
| Race 5 - Grade B Straight Race | ||||
| Position | Horse Name | Driver | ||
| 1 | Bon Bethan | Louisa Myers | ||
| 2 | Miss Bogart | Andrew Hardwick | ||
| 3 | Connors Gold | Wayne Knox | ||
| Time: 02:17 | ||||
| Race 6 - Grade A Straight Race | ||||
| Position | Horse Name | Driver | ||
| 1 | Boomerang | Alan Peters | ||
| 2 | Davie Crocket | Mathew Herlihy | ||
| 3 | Master T J | Derek Pritchard | ||
| Time: 02:13 | ||||
| Race 7 - Grade A Final | ||||
| Position | Horse Name | Driver | ||
| 1 | Bestman | Wayne Knox | ||
| 2 | Jacks Delight | Melanie Langford | ||
| 3 | Georgia Lobell | Derek Pritchard | ||
| Time: 02:09 | ||||
| Race 8 - Junior Driven | ||||
| Position | Horse Name | Driver | ||
| 1 | Scoot Sixty Six | Sabrina Stephens | ||
| 2 | Fold Rajah | Bethan Perks | ||
| 3 | Vintage Lobell | Emma Layton | ||
| Time: 02:14 | ||||
| Race 9 - Baby Novice | ||||
| Position | Horse Name | Driver | ||
| 1 | Belleheir | Brent Ladek | ||
| 2 | Dallas II | Stephen Williams | ||
| 3 | Brets Terminator | Alan Peters | ||
| Time: 02:16 | ||||
| Race 10 - Saddle | ||||
| Position | Horse Name | Driver | ||
| 1 | Thunder Lobell | Jayne Bevan | ||
| 2 | Falcon Lobell | Vanessa Croose | ||
| 3 | Bacardi Breezer | Melanie Langford | ||
| Time: 02:12 | ||||
| Race 11 - FFA | ||||
| Position | Horse Name | Driver | ||
| 1 | Fold Flight | Lorna Perks | ||
| 2 | Boomerang | Alan Peters | ||
| 3 | Bellieve | Derek Pritchard | ||
| Time: 02:06 | ||||
| Race 12 - Dash | ||||
| Position | Horse Name | Driver | ||
| 1 | Vodka Express | Horst Weigel | ||
| 2 | Linford | Derek Pritchard | ||
| 3 | Ithon Ace | Stephen Williams | ||
| Time: 01:36 | ||||
| Race 13 - Mile and a Half | ||||
| Position | Horse Name | Driver | ||
| 1 | Hilltop Crystal | Brent Ladek | ||
| 2 | Brets Delight | Alan Peters | ||
| 3 | Ceirion Shon | Debbie Hitchcock | ||
| Time: 03:24 | ||||
| Race 14 - Two Mile | ||||
| Position | Horse Name | Driver | ||
| 1 | Eccles | Mathew Herlihy | ||
| 2 | Double Top | Debbie Hitchcock | ||
| 3 | Connors Gold | Derek Pritchard | ||
| Time: 04:44 | ||||