• 5
  • 1
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
1 2 3 4 5

Llandrindod Races at Penybont

Jump Straight to Results

Llandrindod Wells committee hosted the final classic meeting of the season at the Penybont track, on Bank Holiday Monday. Drizzle in the early afternoon made conditions difficult especially for the inexperienced horses. However after a little track renovation the races proceeded with plenty of close finishes to keep the cameraman busy.

The two nursery races were won by the now relatively experienced Greenhill Megan (Thomas Rhymney) and Annie Blue (Peters Welshpool) with no major difficulties to signify the problems which would beset the next Baby Novice race.

The first Baby Novice saw Luck Matters slip on the famous 'blacksmith bend' so necessitating a restart. The restart took place after running the second Baby Novice and this time it was Golden Nugget that caused a problem with Wayne Knox on Classic Man being somersaulted over the top.

The race eventually took place after the heats and it was a case of third time lucky for Llangurig farmer Edward Wozencraft as he and Ithon Artist just held off Greenhill Raque (Thomas Rhymney) with Ystwyth Gwynfor (Jones Church Stretton) in third. In the other Baby Novice owner Robin Lloyd from Painscastle put younger brother Stephen to pilot his sometimes temperamental mare Seren Penlan, the plan worked as they came home ahead of Saunders Playboy (Pritchard, Rhosgoch) and Clares Own (Evans Newcastle Emlyn).

The Grade A heats were the next races to be run with the first giving the little chestnut mare Believe (Pritchard Rhosgoch) an emphatic win beating Bon Bethan (Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey) and Ithon Ace (Williams, Shrewsbury). In the second heat Merrinton Man (Thomas Rhymney) ran another cracking race to finish in front of Purple Rain (Edwards Bromfield) and Forgeside Jack (Walker, Gwernogle). Vodka Express (Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey) took the top honours in the final heat followed home by Obi-Wan-Kenobi (Williams, Llanafan) and Mahogany Duke (Edmunds Porthcawl).

Abernant (Greenway, Hardwick, Brecon) took the first Novice heat in fine style driven by Mark Evans from Brecon with Debbie Hitchcock from Haverfordwest on her own horse C U Boykin in second and Fold American (Perks Presteigne) in third.

Serenity (Jones Llanllwni) scored an impressive win in the second heat followed home by Sunnyside Geoff (Clarke Brecon) and The Red Devil (Greenway Michaelchurch Eskley). Ithon Express (Bevan Builth) was first past the winning post in the third heat ahead of Duggans Dominoe (Gwatkin Evenjobb) and Sandside Cash (Elder New Quay).

This week the Grade B was a straight race, and Herefordshire horseman Steve Flook replaced the injured Wayne Knox on the sulky behind Maple Star (Prosser Libanus). But the mare had no complaints as she sped to the front in the back straight and although My Immortal (Evans Brecon) did his best to catch her, it was not to be, while Chinatown Maori (Jones, Llanllwni) was in third.

Jayne Bevan from Llanddewi is the most experienced saddle jockey in trotting, but this year has not dominated as sometimes in the past, however when she partnered the old warrior Scoot 66 this week, they showed neither had lost their appetite to win as they held off all opposition, being followed home by Vyrnwy Chef (Barton Clunderwen) and back marker Mahogany Duke (Edmunds Porthcawl).

The Novice final was the next on the card in which Serenity (Jones Llanllwni) and driver Debbie Hitchcock slipped their field up the back straight and could not be caught despite the gallant efforts of Abernant (Greenway & Hardwick Brecon) with Duggans Dominoe (Gwatkin Evenjobb) in third.

The Grade A final lived up to its billing as the best race of the day, with the little chestnut mare Believe defying all comers to bring home the glory for her owner, trainer and driver Derek Pritchard from Rhosgoch. In second was the well fancied Merrington Man (Thomas Rhymney) while the beautiful black mare Bon Bethan (Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey) was third.

As the last race came to a conclusion the heavens opened and so ended a difficult day but one in which the racing was a triumph.

Detailed Results

Race 1 - Nursery
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Greenhill Megan Gate £0
2 Little Man II Gate £0
3 Betty Blue Gate £0
99 Freddies Flight Gate £0
99 Village Joe Gate £0
Time: 2.553

Race 2 - Nursery
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Annie Blue Gate £0
2 Fold Eventful Gate £0
3 Merefield Jack Gate £0
99 Nifty Gate £0
99 King Creole Gate £0
Time: 3.000

Race 3 - Baby Novice
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Ithon Artist 20 £75
2 Greenhill Raque 20 £25
3 Ystwyth Gwynfor 10 £15
99 Luck Matters Gate £0
99 Classic Man Gate £0
F Golden Nugget Gate £0
Time: 2.436

Race 4 - Baby Novice
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Seren Penlan 10 £75
2 Saunders Playboy 20 £25
3 Clares Own 10 £15
99 Wellfield Inspired 20 £0
99 Ashbrooks Billyboy 10 £0
Time: 2.430

Race 5 - Novice H1
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Abernant Gate £50
2 C U Boykin 20 £0
3 Fold American Gate £0
4 The Sizzler Gate £0
Time: 2.374

Race 6 - Novice H2
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Serenity 20 £50
2 Sunnyside Geoff Gate £0
3 The Red Devil Gate £0
99 Forgeside Mo 10 £0
99 East of Eden 20 £0
99 Vintage Lobell Gate £0
Time: 2.405

Race 7 - Novice H3
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Ithon Express 10 £50
2 Duggans Domino 10 £0
3 Sandside Cash Gate £0
Time: 2.410

Race 8 - Novice Final
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Serenity 20 £120
2 Abernant Gate £30
3 Duggans Domino 10 £20
99 C U Boykin 20 £0
99 Sunnyside Geoff Gate £0
99 Ithon Express 10 £0
99 Fold American Gate £0
Time: 2.374

Race 9 - Grade B
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Maple Star Gate £500
2 My Immortal 10 £80
3 Chinatown Maori 10 £40
99 Family Circle 20 £0
99 Glan Master Gate £0
99 Scoot Sixty Six Gate £0
99 Coalford Time Gate £0
99 Tyson II Gate £0
Time: 2.348

Race 10 - Grade A H1
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Bellieve 10 £50
2 Bon Bethan 20 £0
3 Ithon Ace 40 £0
99 Springhill Horizon 50 £0
99 Master Tom Gate £0
99 Shermanator Sam Gate £0
Time: 2.344

Race 11 - Grade A H2
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Merrington Man 20 £50
2 Purple Rain 40 £0
3 Forgeside Jack Gate £0
99 Boomerang II 10 £0
99 Im Still the Man Gate £0
Time: 2.338

Race 12 - Grade A H3
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Vodka Express 10 £50
2 Obi Wan Kenobi 30 £0
3 Mahogany Duke 40 £0
99 Meadowbranch Mike 30 £0
99 Live the Dream Gate £0
Time: 2.343

Race 13 - Grade A Final
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Bellieve 10 £1000
2 Merrington Man 20 £100
3 Bon Bethan 20 £50
99 Vodka Express 10 £0
99 Obi Wan Kenobi 30 £0
99 Purple Rain 40 £0
99 Forgeside Jack Gate £0
Time: 2.357

Race 14 - Saddle
Position Horse Name Handicap Prize
1 Scoot Sixty Six Gate £100
2 Vyrnwy Chef 20 £30
3 Mahogany Duke 60 £20
4 Chinatown Maori 10 £0
Time: 2.407