NEWBRIDGE committee is one of the remaining local committees to stage trotting racing, and they bring the whole community together with their special meeting, held at the sweeping Cilmeri track. A wonderful atmosphere and some really good racing was enjoyed on Saturday, writes Maureen Lloyd.

In the first Novice heat Finn Bevan steered grandfather Mike Bevan from Builth’s impressive rising star Blazing Eagle to a predicted win, ahead of another horse making a name for himself Glenfield Thomas, (Billington, Leicester) with one of the backmarkers Manhattan Gangster (Munro, Bridgend) was third still waiting for the chance to move into open racing. Finn Bevan had a back to back double when he partnered cousin Rachel Bevan’s Dai’s Silver Talk from the neighbouring stable to win from Matisse (Hughes, New Radnor) on his first run in the division, with Rhyds Louie (Millard, Stourbridge) in third.

In the first Grade B heat Steve Williams steered Full Closure (Bevan, Llanddewi) to victory ahead of Hannibal (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) while Evenwood Itchyfeet (Mills, Llanddewi) was in third. Lee Price on Stateside Icon produced another good run for the Weigel family from Llanddewi Velfrey winning from Don Bobby (Rowlands, Nantmel) while Lucifer (Lloyd, Painscastle) claimed third.

In the Grade A the talented mare Zulu Warrior was driven by her owner Mathew Tromans to be first over the winning line ahead of World Famous (Bevan, Builth Wells) while the neighbouring stable belonging to Andrew Bevan took third with Hillbilly Jackson.

In the Baby Novice race Andrew Hardwick partnered the Eggerton stable from Norton Canon’s Buster Bradie with great success beating Landafew (Rowlands, Nantmel) while Isolation (Collingwood, Huntington) was third.

In the Dash the sprightly mare Victoria Penlan with trainer Perry Thomas from Pontypridd at the controls, won from Simon Camden (Millard, Stourbridge) with Mahogany Frankie (Munro, Bridgend) in third.

There were only two entries in the saddle this week with top honours going predictably, to the expert owner, trainer, jockey team of Ontop Shouda Cuda and Jayne Bevan from Llanddewi, in second was Archie Camden (Gale, Gorslas) with Liz George on board.

The three juniors gave a good display in their race with Lexey Millard partnering Ellavafella (Bevan, Builth Wells) to victory from crowd favourite Brywins Saturn (Thompson, Clyro) and Hattie Holloway, while Mahogany Caio and Miley Jones, Cribyn were third.

In the Novice Final the unbeaten Blazing Eagle provided the Bevan connections from Builth Wells with their seventh win of the season as 16 year old Finn Bevan steered him to victory. This horse has really blazed a trail this season, and this win takes him into open racing. In second was Glenfield Thomas (Billington, Leicester) while Manhattan Gangster (Munro, Bridgend) was third.

In the Non Whip race Finn Bevan went one better than in the A’s when he took first prize with granddad’s World Famous (Bevan, Builth) Finn on his first open season of driving claiming four wins on the day, in second was Sealofapproval (Munro, Bridgend) while Slingshot (Greenway, Michaelchurch Eskley) ran a superb race to be third.

The race day was completed with the Grade B Final in which Stateside Icon notched up his ninth win of the season, as usual partnered by Lee Price for the Weigel family from

Llanddewi Velfrey, in second was Don Bobby owned by Carolyn Rowlands, from Nantmel while Lucifer (Lloyd, Painscastle) was third.

After a lovely afternoon of racing next Saturday the meeting is at Ivington, near Leominster on Saturday 15th August starting at 1.30pm