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Season starts on a high at 125th Llangadog races

Jump Straight to Results

The first race meeting of the season was a glorious day at the all weather track at Tairgwaith on Easter Monday. There cannot have been many better days either for weather or racing in the 125 years of Llangadog races’ history. A capacity crowd generated a wonderful atmosphere with spectacular racing and close finishes.

The nursery races which serve as introductions to racing for the young horses of the sport began the day. Sunnyside Geoff the youngster belonging to the Clark family from Brecon went under the wire first with first time on the track Alpine Heights (Ladek, Cleobury Mortimer) second and Radnor Halleluliah (Bevan Builth) was third. In the second race Seren Penlan with owner Robin Lloyd from Painscastle settled nicely into her stride to secure first place from Scarlet Lady (Bevan Builth) second and Fold Flight and ex junior champion Bethan Perks from Presteigne in third.

The Novice race of nine runners gave the punters plenty to choose from in the next race but C U Boykin rewarded favouritism for the Hitchcock family from Haverfordwest with Hasty Flight (Williams Llanafan) in second and the trotter Belleheir (Ladek, Cleobury Mortimer) in third.

The back marker Wellfield Xpense driven by Wayne Knox who returns from a back injury, and owned by Melanie Langford from Ludlow won his ticket into the premier division by winning the Grade B beating Blackfield Willy (Barton Clynderwen) into second while Chinatown Maori (Jones, Llanllwni) took third.

The first heat of the Grade A rewarded the Williams stable from Shrewsbury for their long journey when Ithon Ace claimed victory from newcomer Mahogany Duke (Edmunds North Cornelly) with Vodka Express (Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey) in third. In the second heat where the horses had a reduced handicap of twenty yards Bon Bethan (Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey) and pilot Louisa Myers made the most of their return to the gate by winning from in second place Obi-Wan-Kenobi (Williams Llanafan) with Purple Rain (Edwards, Bromfield) third.

Champion driver Derek Pritchard secured his first win of the new season driving Glan Minstrel for Danny Jones from Talgarreg, in the Baby Novice. Ithon Eagle (Edwards Bromfield) was second and the returning Welsh Cowboy (Evans, Red Roses) was third.

Seven horses qualified for the final of the Grade A and the Hitchcock family luck was in as Debbie and Meadowbranch Mike (Jones, Llanllwni) secured a place as the fastest fourth out of the heats. However it was not luck, but a well judged race which saw them surge past the post in front in another tight finish with Mahogany Duke (Edmunds, North Cornelly) just inches behind and Purple Rain (Edwards, Bromfield) in third.

So ended the first meeting of the season and if the day was an omen for the future the season looks set fair. The new commentator Neil Edmunds settling to the challenge of calling home the winners at this iconic meeting. The next meeting will again be at Tairgwaith on Saturday April 25th at 2pm.

Detailed Results

Race 1 - Nursery
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Sunnyside Geoff Gate £0
2 Alpine Heights Gate £0
3 Radnor Halleluliah Gate £0
99 Clares Own Gate £0
99 Brywins Snowflake Gate £0
Time: 2.135

Race 2 - Nursery
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Seren Penlan Gate £0
2 Scarlet Lady Gate £0
3 Fold Flight 40 £0
99 Dragon Penlan Gate £0
99 Luck Matters Gate £0
Time: 2.165

Race 3 - Baby Novice
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Glan Minstrel Gate £60
2 Ithon Eagle 10 £30
3 Welsh Cowboy 10 £15
99 Highbrooks Teebeau 10 £0
99 True Grit II Gate £0
99 Aberelan 20 £0
99 Wellfield Inspired Gate £0
Time: 2.151

Race 4 - Novice
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 C U Boykin Gate £75
2 Hasty Flight Gate £30
3 Belle Heir 10 £15
99 Katie Blue 20 £0
99 Sam the Man 10 £0
99 Red Adair 10 £0
99 Blackfield Baz 10 £0
99 Ayr Force One 20 £0
99 Coalford Time 20 £0
Time: 2.087

Race 5 - Grade B
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Wellfield Xpense 20 £300
2 Blackfield Willy 10 £70
3 Chinatown Maori Gate £30
99 Miss Bogart II Gate £0
99 Fold Supreme Gate £0
Time: 2.085

Race 6 - Grade A Heat 1
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Ithon Ace 10 £30
2 Mahogany Duke 10 £20
3 Vodka Express Gate £10
4 Meadowbranch Mike Gate £0
99 Lucky Nipper 10 £0
99 Im Still the Man 10 £0
Time: 2.059

Race 7 - Grade A Heat 2 (R20)
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Bon Bethan Gate £30
2 Obi Wan Kenobi 10 £20
3 Purple Rain 20 £10
99 Merrington Man 40 £0
99 Live the Dream 20 £0
99 Bellieve 30 £0
Time: 2.069

Race 8 - Grade A Final
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Meadowbranch Mike Gate £500
2 Mahogany Duke 10 £70
3 Purple Rain 40 £30
99 Ithon Ace 10 £0
99 Obi Wan Kenobi 30 £0
99 Vodka Express Gate £0
99 Bon Bethan 20 £0
Time: 2.070

Race 9 - Dash
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Blackfield Willy 10 £50
2 Chinatown Maori Gate £25
Time: 1.340