WITH a return to racing this Saturday after last week’s event was cancelled due to the heat it was a return to the beautiful Ludlow track where the weather was perfect for the enjoyment of all concerned, writes Maureen Lloyd.

The first races on the card were the Novice heats. In the first the newly promoted Mahogany Frankie from the inform Munro stable from Bridgend driven by Jimmy was first passed the post from Matteuceous (Gale, Gorslas) with Brywins Saturn (Tompkins, Clyro) third. In the second heat the other newcomer Glenfield Thomas driven by Mathew Tromans for the Billington, of Leicester and Hardwick, from Brecon team, was first, in second was another rising star Rhyds Louie with the backmarker Manhattan Gangster (Munro, Bridgend) in third.

In the first heat of the Grade B the talented Evenwood Itchyfeet driven by Andrew Hardwick for owner trainer Gareth Mills from Llanddewi won from the reliable Red Cash (Sargeant, Newbridge) while Best in Flight (Gales, Gorslas) was third. Carrie on Fred with trainer Lynne Boxhall at the controls won the second Grade B heat for Liam Middleton from Llandrindod Wells, in second place was Lucifer (Lloyd, Painscastle) with the backmarker Fold Fearless (Perks, Presteigne) in third.

In the Grade A race victory went to Fold Megastar owned by Lorna Bird from Evenjobb and trained by her father John Perks, from Presteigne and driven as usual by Mathew Tromans. In second place was Wye Doon with young Maddy Davies driving (Amanda Hawkes, Orleton) her grandmother’s brilliant horse, while Archie Camden (Gale, Gorslas) was in third.

The first Baby Novice race was won by a recent entry into this class, Buster Bradie driven by Shane Eggerton owned and trained by the Eggerton family from Norton Canon, in second was the consistent Beach Boy (Collard, Rhayader) while the ever faithful Fold Take Flight with his owner, trainer, driver Myfanwy Miles from Merthyr was third. The well named striking Dernol Lucky Strike driven by trainer David Arrowsmith for owner Tracy Gale from Gorslas won the second division from first time out Evenwoodbittasweet and Sam Reynolds from Orleton, with Isolation owned by Liz Collingwood, from Huntington in third.

In the Nursery Shelwick Solitaire and Stuart Harris from Hereford was first passed the post from Dragoon (Eggerton, Norton Canon) while Slingshot (Greenway, Michaelchurch Eskley) was third.

The saddle race followed with Ontop Shouda Cuda carrying top jockey and owner Jayne Bevan, they won from Goodtime Hall ridden by Jimmy Munro for Sam Lloyd from Gladestry while Archie Camden (Gale, Gorslas) ridden by Liz George was third.

Oakwood Ideal for new owner Liz Bowen from Llanbister, driven by Aled Davies took victory in the Dash ahead of the reliable Victoria Penlan (Thomas, Bridgend) with another faithful competitor Begwyns Trust (Lloyd, Painscastle) in third.

The Novice final was the next race on the card with victory going to newly promoted Glenfield Thomas (Billington, Leicester) driven by Mathew Tromans with the other newcomer Mahogany Frankie (Munro, Bridgend) in second and Matteuceous (Gale, Gorslas) in third place.

There were four entries in the Junior race again this week with Lexey Millard driving her grandad Daniel Millard’s Sonny Camden to win from new driver Evie Davies on Wye

Doon (Hawkes, Orleton) while Miley Jones from Cribyn on Afanbellsprincess was third and the veteran Llwyns Mercy (Collingwood, Huntington) with Harriet Holloway was fourth.

The Non whip race is always popular and this week the winners were Finn Bevan, one of the young generation of Bevans from Maesmynis, driving his cousin’s Dai’s Silver Talk while Alibis Dream (Lloyd, Gladestry) was second and Manceys Deuce (Hawkes, Orleton) was in third.

The Free For All had three of the best horses competing on equal terms, and it was the appropriately named World Famous driven by Finn Bevan for his father Mike who clinched victory from Fold Megastar (Perks, Presteigne) while Blue Guns N Roses (Thomas, Bridgend) had to settle for third.

The final race of the day was the Grade B Final in which the gifted Evenwood Itchyfeet driven by Andrew Hardwick for Gareth Mills from Llanddewi was first, from Carrie on Fred (Middleton, Llandrindod) in second while Sealofapproval and Jimmy Munro from Bridgend was third.

Next week racing returns to Almeley on Saturday 25th July starting at 1.30pm there will also be harness racing at the Royal Welsh Show on Tuesday and Wednesday this week (July 21&22).