WALES & Border Harness racing returned to the all-weather track at Amman Valley on Saturday and conditions from a week ago were very different. However although the track was wet, the afternoon improved with no rain to dampen the proceedings, writes Maureen Lloyd.

The first races were the Grade B heats, the first was predictably won by the inform duo of Wye Doon and his young trainer Maddy Davies from Orleton, in second place the consistent Best in Flight (Gale, Gorslas) while Red Cash (Sargeant, Newbridge on Wye) was third. Evenwood Itchyfeet with Mathew Tromans in the seat claimed victory in the second Grade B heat ahead of Juicy Wiggle (Arrowsmith, Gorslas) with Victoria Penlan (Thomas, Pontypridd) in third.

In the Novice division the newcomer Matteuceous from the Gale stable at Gorslas driven by trainer Dai Arrowsmith was first passed the post, from the ever reliable Begwyns Trust (Lloyd, Painscastle) while Manhattan Gangster (Munro, Bridgend) was third.

Two Baby Novice races were next on the programme. In the first the up and coming Beach Boy owned by Will Collard from Rhayader, trained at Brecon by Andrew Hardwick and driven by Ben Flanagan repeated his last week’s victory ahead of Rhyds Louie (Millard, Stourbridge) with the improving Matisse (Hughes, New Radnor) in third. In the second Baby Novice race it was Mahogany Debate, one of the back markers driven by Dai Arrowsmith for Tracey Gale from Gorslas, who won, so gaining their ticket into the Novice division. The places were taken by the other two back markers Mahogany Frankie (Munro, Bridgend) in second and Sonny Camden (Millard, Stourbridge) in third.

The Grade A followed and again the new open horse who has taken the season by storm, World Famous, in the hands of his young trainer Finn Bevan doing the steering for grandfather Mike Bevan from Builth Wells claimed top spoils ahead of last season’s revelation Hillbilly Jackson another belonging to the Bevan clan, while the talented mare Blue Guns N Roses (Thomas, Pontypridd) was third.

The Nursery was won by novice driver Karen Williams from Penycae who is beginning to make her mark in the sport driving Dernol Black Satin, with the impressive youngster Platinum Jackson (Bennett, Cwmbach) in second while Yewtree Habanero (Flanagan, Wimbourne) was third.

The Non Whip race is always popular and this week attracted a maximum entry and turned out to be the most competitive race of the afternoon. It was the well named Sealofapproval belonging to the Munro family from Bridgend who claimed a narrow victory driven by young Jimmy Munro ahead of Hillbilly Jackson (Bevan Builth Wells) with the Bevan stablemate Dai’s Silver Talk in third.

The Grade B final completed the day’s racing with the upwardly mobile Wye Doon and Maddy Davies again showing their class, to finish at the head of affairs and so earn their promotion into the elite Grade A class. Maddy is in her first year in adult classes, and has only recently begun training for grandmother Amanda Hawkes from Orleton, but has had a sensational start to the season. In second place was the front running Best in Flight (Gale, Gorslas) while the improving Evenwood Itchyfeet (Mills, Llanddewi) was third.

Next week racing returns to the grass on Broadheath Common, Presteigne on Saturday June 13th starting at 1.30pm.