This was only the second year that Wales & Border Harness Racing has been held at Llangunllo and the scenic course provided some good racing with many spectators cheering on their local heroes. It was a fun afternoon, where the tight track highlighted the old adage of ‘horses for courses’, so picking winners was not always straight forward.
The Novice heats were the first races of the afternoon with the speed machine Ellavafella and owner Andrew Bevan from Builth coming home in one of the closest finishes of the day, in front of Carrie of Fred (Middleton, Llandrindod) with Bethany (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) in third.
By contrast in the second heat it was the unfancied Lanehouse Girl belonging to local owners the Bowen family from Llanbister, just returning from injury, who was steered to victory by local man Steve Lewis winning from another local Gareth Mills from Llanddewi with his own Olympics in second and Ellavalad (Boxhall, Brecon) in third.
The Grade B was a straight race with the striking Goodtime Hal and owner Richard Staples from Brecon claiming victory from Crosshill Cadillac (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) while the improving Ayr Major (Eggerton, Norton Canon) was third.
For the first time this season the Grade A was divided into two heats. In the first it was on the final straight that the fast finishing Lakeside Pan driven by Mathew Tromans for veteran owner, John Elder from New Quay swept into the lead closely followed by Happy Hands (Meaney/Harris, Merthyr) while Dernol Yankee (Wozencraft, Llangurig) was third.
In the second heat the backmarker Ontop Shouder Cuda with Lynne Boxhall in the seat quickly overcame their trail to go into the lead and claim victory for owner/trainer Jayne Bevan from Llanddewi, stablemate Easy Company owned, trained and driven by Elin Bevan was second while Whiskyandwater (Morgan, Knighton) was third.
The Nursery races were the next with the first spoils going to Ithon Queen and Sam Reynolds driving for Amanda Hawkes from Orleton they now progress to the Baby Novice class, Ceirion Spirit (Bevan, Builth Wells) on his first run was second while Carrie on Doon the youngster belonging to the Morgan family from Knighton was third.
In the second race Rachel Bevan from Builth Wells steered her own Magical Miss to a good win ahead of Begwyns Trust (Lloyd, Painscastle) while Dollars Dream (Lloyd, Gladestry) was third.
There were three Baby Novice races this week with the first win claimed by Red Cash owned by Sargeant from Newbridge and driven by Lynne Boxhall, who as the gate horse led all the way, but only just held on from a fast finishing Ithon Papa (Rowlands, Rhayader) with Easy Connection (Millard, Stourbridge) in third.
In the second race Mark White steered the Weigel family, Llanddewi Velfrey horse Stateside Icon to a narrow victory in front of the persistent front running Sally M (Davies, Orleton) while Ithon Prince (Duggan, Howey) ran on into third.
In the third race Talavary Crown owned by Russell Greenway from Michaelchurch Eskley and driven by trainer Andrew Hardwick on only his second run of the season, swept past the opposition on the back straight to win from the long time leader Woodstone Miranda and owner Austin Hughes from New Radnor while Fold Withstyle (Perks, Presteigne) was third.
Both Stateside Icon and Talavary Crown now move up into the Novice class.
The next race was a mile and a half and even at the end it was a close finish as Ellavalad (Boxhall, Brecon) with Andrew Hardwick on board just held on ahead of Juicy Wiggle (White, Porthcawl) with Ayr Major (Eggerton, Norton Canon) in third.
The afternoon finished with the two finals.
The first, the novice, saw the back marker Ellavafella produce a scintillating run on the final straight to claim victory just ahead of Carrie on Fred (Middleton, Llandrindod Wells) while Lanehouse Girl (Bowen, Llanbister) was third. Ellavafella now proceeds into open racing with progression into the Grade B.
The final race of the afternoon was the Grade A final when Easy Company, last year’s winner at this venue, but this year with Elin Bevan, driving the Bevan sisters’ (Elin & Ceri) consistent local horse from Llanddewy, took the lead.
Despite the efforts of the competitors they were first over the line with Happy Hands (Meaney & Harris, Merthyr) in second and another local horse Whiskyandwater (Morgan, Knighton) in third.
Next week’s racing in contrast is on the big open course at Ludlow, on Saturday July 8th starting at 1.30pm.
Results:
Novice – heat 1: 1 Ellavafella (Andrew Bevan) owned & trained Bevan, Builth Wells; 2 Carrie on Fred; 3 Bethany. Time: 2:22.63
Novice – heat 2: 1 Lanehouse Girl (Steve Lewis) owned Bowen Llanbister trained Lewis, Llanbister; 2 Olympics; 3 Ellavalad. Time: 2:23.69
Grade B: 1 Goodtime Hal (Richard Staples) owned Staples Brecon trained Boxhall Brecon; 2 Crosshill Cadillac; 3 Ayr Major. Time: 2:19.84
Grade A – heat 1: 1 Lakeside Pan (Mathew Tromans) owned Elder New Quay trained Bevan Llanddewi; 2 Happy Hands; 3 Dernol Yankee. Time: 2:21.63
Grade A – heat 2: 1 Ontop Shouder Cuda (Lynne Boxhall) owned & trained Bevan Llanddewi; 2 Easy Company; 3 Whiskyandwater. Time: 2:19.94
Nursery – race 1: 1 Ithon Queen (Sam Reynolds) owned Hawkes, Orleton trained Reynolds Orleton; 2 Ceirion Spirit; 3 Carrie on Doon. Time: 2:27.90
Nursery – race 2: 1 Magical Miss (Rachel Bevan) owned & trained Bevan Builth Wells; 2 Begwyns Trust; 3 Dollars Dream. Time: 2:30.10
Baby Novice – race 1: 1 Red Cash (Lynne Boxhall) owned Sargeant, Newbridge trained Hardwick, Brecon; 2 Ithon Papa; 3 Easy Connection. Time: 2:23.88
Baby Novice – race 2: 1 Stateside Icon (Mark White) owned & trained Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey; 2 Sally M; 3 Ithon Prince. Time: 2:29.75
Baby Novice – race 3: Talavary Crown (Andrew Hardwick) owned Greenway, Michaelchurch Eskley trained Hardwick Brecon; 2 Woodstone Miranda; 3 Fold Withstyle. Time: 2:29.55
Mile & a half: 1 Ellavalad (Andrew Hardwick) owned & trained Boxhall, Brecon; 2 Juicy Wiggle; 3 Ayr Major. Time: 3:26.16
Novice Final: 1 Ellavafella (Andrew Bevan) owned & trained Bevan, Builth Wells; 2 Carrie on Fred; 3 Lanehouse Girl. Time: 2:21.25
Grade A Final: 1 Easy Company (Elin Bevan) owned E & C Bevan & trained J Bevan, Llanddewi; 2 Happy Hands; 3 Whiskyandwater. Time: 2:19.12