Wales & Borders Harness Racing

Racing on Saturday was held at a new track on the Fron Farm, New Radnor. There was some good racing with front running horses enjoying an advantage.

The first races were the Grade B heats, in the first Beg For Mercy with Mathew Tromans from Newcastle Emlyn on board, took the win. In the second Grade B heat last week’s Novice winner on his first run in the Grade B, Luminite owned and trained by Liz Collingwood and driven a by Jonny James made the most of pole position, and led for the whole of the race.

The Grade A heats were next with the first race going to the gate horse George Gentle owned by the Duggan family from Howey and driven this week by Shane Eggerton.

In the second Grade A heat Bill Hughes, the cheerful mechanic from Cwmbach and the horse he purchased in the closed season, Happy Hands, made the most of their position on the gate to lead the race, and despite the other horses breathing down their necks, Happy Hands came home in front.

The Novice was next, Victoria Penlan with owner Perry Thomas from Pontypridd on board swept into the lead for the first corner, and held on to claim a narrow victory from Lanehouse Girl (Lewis, Llanbister) with Olympics (Mills, Llanddewi) third.

In the first Baby Novice race Dernol Ebony with his owner, trainer, driver Richard Staples from Merthyr at the controls, claimed the win.

In second was Ithon Prince driven by Shane Eggerton for the Duggan family from Howey while Yewtree Some Bruva (Chetter, Cannock) was third.

In the second Baby Novice all went well until the final corner when Don’t Look Ethel with owner Robin Lloyd from Painscastle on board fell bringing down their close rivals, with the winner being the experienced Bethany (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) driven by Mathew Tromans while Fold Take Flight (Miles, Merthyr) claimed second. Bethany now progresses into the Novice class.

Two nursery races followed with Andrew Hardwick the successful driver of each. In the first he partnered Ithon Papa (Rowlands, Rhayader) winning from Blackberry (Williams, Llanafan) and Woodstone Miranda (Hughes, New Radnor) while in the second he and the two year old Red Cash (Sargeant, Newbridge) took top honours from Black Velvet II (Ward, Talsarn) and Fold Showman (Perks, Presteigne).

The next race was the consolation. This week Howdya Likemenow ran the race of his life to claim victory for the connections of Stella Havard and driver Martin Roberts from Dinmore, in second was Alibis Dream (Lloyd, Gladestry) while No Stoppin (Greenway, Michaelchurch Eskley) was third.

The B and A finals completed the day’s racing. In the B Final Luminite owned by Elizabeth Collingwood from Huntington and driven by her partner young Jonny James surged up the home straight to claim victory from Lakeview Meg (Lewis, Llanbister) while Beg For Mercy (Tromans, Newcastle Emlyn) was third.

The Grade A Final saw victory for the gate horse, Happy Hands in the hands of Bill (Mr Happy) Hughes from Cwmbach. Bill has been a supporter of trotting for many years but has only lately acquired a Grade A horse and the crowd acknowledged the achievement as Bill steered the appropriately named Happy Hands to victory in front of Second Affair, this game little mare belonging to the Perks family from Presteigne, while the talented Ontop Shouder Cuda (Bevan, Llanddewi) claimed third place.

So after a hot afternoon of racing with two days of racing at the Royal Welsh Show on Tuesday and Wednesday, next Saturday is Ivington races on 23 July starting at 1.30pm.

Grade B – heat 1

1 Beg For Mercy (Mathew Tromans) owned & trained Tromans, Newcastle Emlyn 2 Halfpenny 3 Lakeview Meg Time: 2:11.34

Grade B – heat 2

1 Luminite (Jonny James) owned & trained Collingwood, Huntington 2 Blythview JJ 3 Whiskyandwater Time: 2:11.97

Grade A – heat 1

1 George Gentle (Shane Eggerton) owned & trained Duggan, Howey 2 Ontop Shouder Cuda 3 Dernol Yankee Time: 2:10.85

Grade A – heat 2

1 Happy Hands (Bill Hughes) owned & trained Hughes Cwmbach 2 Second Affair 3 Lakeside Pan Time: 2:09.44

Novice

1 Victoria Penlan (Perry Thomas) owned & trained Thomas, Bridgend 2 Lanehouse Girl 3 Olympics Time: 2:14.72

Baby Novice – Race 1

1 Dernol Ebony (Richard Staples) owned & trained Staples, Merthyr 2 Ithon Prince 3 Yewtree Somebruva Time: 2:18.88

Baby Novice – race 2

1 Bethany (Mathew Tromans) owned & trained Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey 2 Fold Take Flight Time: 2:23.60

Nursery – race 1

1 Ithon Papa (Andrew Hardwick) owned Rowlands, Rhayader trained Lewis, Llanbister 2 Blackberry 3 Woodstone Miranda Time: 2:20.5

Nursery – race 2

1 Red Cash (Andrew Hardwick) owned Sargeant Newbridge trained Hardwick Brecon 2 Black Velvet II 3 Fold Showman Time: 2:27.29

Consolation

1 Howdyalikemenow (Martin Roberts) owned & trained Havard, Dinmore 2 Alibis Dream 3 No Stoppin Time: 2:17.09

Grade B Final

1 Luminite (Jonny James) owned & trained Collingwood, Huntington 2 Lakeview Meg 3 Beg For Mercy Time: 2:11.44

Grade A Final

1 Happy Hands (Bill Hughes) owned & trained Hughes, Cwmbach 2 Second Affair 3 Ontop Shouda Cuda Time: 2:07.66