Saturday’s race meeting was at Bitterley near Ludlow which has a wide open track, one of the favourite venues of the season.

The first race of the day was the Nursery which is the race for young horses and new drivers wanting some racing experience. Liz George on her first drive in the sulky partnered Millstream Art owned by Davy Chan from Leicester to arrive at the winning post in front of the improving Beach Boy (Collard, Rhayder) while Slingshot (Greenway, Michaelchurch Eskley) was third.

The next two races were the Novice heats with the striking Fold Fearless driven by Mathew Tromans for the Perks family from Presteigne clocking up another victory ahead of Steve Williams from Pencader driving his own Wye Doon, while Mayhem Queen (Price, Builth Wells) was third. In the second heat the in form Dernol Jacky driven by Lee Price for super-enthusiastic Alma Beddoes and family from Llanbister won from ever reliable Begwyns Trust (R Lloyd, Painscastle) while Red Cash (Sargeant, Newbridge) was third.

The backmarker Fold Megastar won the first heat of the Grade B driven by Mathew Tromans for Lorna Bird from Evenjobb while recently changed stables GG Rogue now with the Munro family from Bridgend, was second, and Carrie on Fred (Middleton, Llandrindod) was third. In the second Grade B heat Seal of Approval (Munro, Bridgend) with Jason Munro at the controls was first passed the post, with the consistent Stateside Icon (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) in second and Fold Showman (Perks, Presteigne) third.

Perry Thomas driving Rich and Bec Staples fine horse Goodtime Hal, now trained by Sam Lloyd from Gladestry, set the fractions in the Grade A, to claim a predicted win ahead of Mahogany Caio (Jones, Cribyn) while Zulu Warrior (Tromans, Newcastle Emlyn) was third.

Two Baby Novice races followed. In the first Morris Dancer with trainer Dan Millard at the controls, for owner Carl Evans from Newport was first passed the post in front of the reformed Lucifer (R Lloyd, Painscastle) while little Timmy aka Fold Take Flight (Miles, Merthyr) claimed third prize. The striking Dernol Lucky Strike driven by Dai Arrowsmith for the home stable at Gorslas claimed victory in the second Baby Novice from Millstream Art (Chan, Leicester) with Dai’s Silver Talk (Bevan, Builth Wells) was third.

In the Junior race Finn Bevan claimed his first victory on the family owned Ceiron Spirt, Finn is the fourth generation of the Bevan family from Maesmynis near Builth Wells, to get the ‘trotting bug’, in second was Evenwood Itchyfeet with his training partner Lola Mills from Llanddewi, while in third place was the experienced Maddy Davies this week driving her aunt’s Sally M (Davies, Oreleton).

The Non Whip followed, where Ellavafella owned by Jayne Bevan from Llanddewi and driven by Steve Williams was first, followed by Juicy Wiggle (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) with Manceys Deuce (Hawkes, Orleton) in third.

The two finals completed the day’s racing. In the Novice final Mayhem Queen owned trained and driven by members of the Price family from Builth Wells, claimed victory which now qualifies her for open racing. She will take pole position next week at the prestigious Penybont meeting. In second was Dernol Jacky (Beddoes, Llanbister) while Begwyns Trust (R Lloyd, Painscastle) claimed third.

In the Grade B final the impressive homebred youngster Hillbilly Jackson owned by Rachel and driven by Andrew Bevan from Builth Wells was victorious, ahead of the reliable Stateside Icon (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) while Seal of Approval (Munro, Bridgend) claimed a treasured third place.

Next week racing returns to the ‘Mecca’ of Mid Wales racing for the iconic Penybont meeting, on the Ddole race track on Saturday July 26th starting at 1.30pm.

Nursery: 1, Millstream Art (Liz George) Chan, Leicester; 2 Beach Boy; 3 Slingshot. Time: 2:21.35

Novice – heat 1: 1, Fold Fearless (Mathew Tromans) owned & trained Perks, Presteigne; 2, Wye Doon; 3, Mayhem Queen. Time:2:17.78

Novice – heat 2: 1, Dernol Jacky (Lee Price) owned Beddoes, Llanbister trained Collingwood, Huntington; 2, Begwyns Trust; 3, Red Cash. Time: 2:14.41

Grade B – heat 1: 1, Fold Megastar (Mathew Tromans) owned Bird, Evenjob trained Perks, Presteigne; 2, G G Rogue; 3, Carrie on Fred. Time: 2:17.22

Grade B – heat 2: 1, Seal of Approval (Jason Munro) owned & trained Munro, Bridgend; 2, Stateside Icon; 3, Fold Showman. Time: 2:18.53

Grade A: 1, Goodtime Hal (Perry Thomas) owned Staples, Brecon trained Lloyd, Gladestry; 2, Mahogany Caio; 3, Zulu Warrior. Time: 2:17.78

Baby Novice – race 1: 1, Morris Dancer (Daniel Millard) owned Evans, Newport, trained Millard, Stourport; 2, Lucifer; 3, Fold Take Flight. Time: 2:21.91

Baby Novice – race 2: 1, Dernol Lucky Strike (David Arrowsmith) owned Gale, Gorslas trained Arrowsmith, Gorslas; 2, Millstream Art; 3, Dai’s Silver Talk. Time: 2:20.69

Junior: 1, Ceiron Spirit (Finn Bevan) owned & trained Bevan, Builth Wells; 2, Evenwood Itchyfeet (Lola Mills); 3, Sally M (Maddy Davies). Time: 2:17.44

Non Whip: 1, Elavafella (Steve Williams) owned & trained Bevan, Llanddewi; 2, Juicy Wiggle; 3, Manceys Deuce. Time: 2:19.94

Novice Final: 1, Mayhem Queen (Lee Price) owned & trained Price, Builth Wells; 2, Dernol Jacky; 3, Begwyns Trust. Time: 2:17.84

Grade B Final: 1, Hillbilly Jackson (Andrew Bevan) owned & trained Bevan, Builth Wells; 2, Stateside Icon; 3, Seal of Approval. Time: 2:14.65