Prize money hike a boost at Ffos Las

FFOS Las’s first meeting of 2022 on Wednesday (January 5) will take place behind closed doors in line with the Welsh Government Covid regulations announced before Christmas.

We have significantly boosted prize money for our jump fixtures in January, February and March with Wednesday’s meeting worth £83,000.

We are expecting an update from the Welsh Government on the return of spectators in the next few days. Our next fixture is on Tuesday, February 1 and we hope our customers will be able to return by then.

Welsh jockeys made hay around the country at the weekend.

At Cheltenham on Saturday Richard Patrick won the opener on Hillcrest for Henry Daly. He finished so strongly that one of the novice hurdles at the Cheltenham Festival is now on the agenda.

Patrick is getting plenty of rides from Daly, Kerry Lee and Michael Scudamore and is only three winners away from equalling his best season.

The big handicap chase was won by the mare Vienna Court, owned by Bangor racecourse director James Potter and his wife Jean.

Lorcan Williams rode a double at Exeter on Broken Halo and Kissesforkatie. Williams is another jockey for whom losing his claim has had no ill effects. He had six rides at Exeter for five different trainers.

Also on that card Alan Johns rode Le Milos to win for Tim Vaughan. The stable has been in the doldrums for a while, but two good winners in the last week give hope that a revival may be around the corner.

There’s rarely a Fakenham meeting without Christian Williams runners, and his fine record there was enhanced by Barden Bella’s win on Saturday. It was the mare’s second course and distance success and completed a double for Jack Tudor. He earlier rode Here Comes Henry to victory for Stuart Edmunds.

David Probert finished 2021 with 170 winners, smashing his previous best by 58 and earning more than £2 million in prize money for the owners of his mounts. He picked up where he left off at Southwell by winning on the odds-on Arriviste.

On Sunday, James Davies ended a 70-day losing spell by making most of the running aboard Mickyh in a 2m 4f hurdle at Plumpton. The 18-1 shot jumped well in front for Davies and stayed on stoutly.

Later on the card James Bowen scored on Nashville Nipper to take his total of winners for the season to 43.