Llandrindod Races at Penybont
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 | ||||