Promising rider gets back to his winning ways at last
After having falls from the fancied Tomoraz Man and January Don – not to mention finishing runner-up to Sir Du Bearn in the men’s open race at the recent Llangeinor Hunt Point-To-Point Steeplechases – Carmarthen’s Ben Jones could be forgiven for feeling sorry for himself.
But two days later at the South Pembrokeshire Hunt Steeplechases at Lydstep, the promising 17-yearold, who is training to be a farrier, put it all behind him when landing his first-ever double.
The first leg was initiated when Ben, riding 5-4 favourite Glenteeneasaigh, outjumped his four rivals to score by 12 lengths from Lukes Hill, partnered by Tom David, after Ben had had the nine-year-old grey gelding in a prominent position throughout.
On dismounting, Ben told the members of the Just The Wan Club Syndicate, which owns the horse, that his mount was just brilliant and had jumped well.
Ben had to work a lot harder for his second winner, which came in the Open Maiden race when he partnered the seven-year-old brown gelding Chasing Casey, which jumped the last two fences alongside Robin Des People, ridden by the talented and more experienced Bradley Gibbs.
However, Ben, riding for all he was worth, got his mount home by three parts of a length to bring his season’s total of wins to six.
Ben’s father Dai and mother Emma were both successful amateur riders. In fact, Dai is something of a legend, having ridden around 200 winners. And although Emma could probably count the number of winners she rode on both hands, if they were giving out awards for the best turned-out female racegoer rather than the best turned-out horse, then she would be a regular winner – which is more than I can say about Dai!
The closest finish of the day at Lydstep came in the Ladies’ Open race ,in which Charlotte Evans got her mount Highly Unlikely home by a short head from Buck Mulligan, a former six-times winner under National Hunt Rules and ridden by Isabel Williams.
There was another close finish in the Restricted race when Carmen Goldsworthy’s best turned-out Minella Arts, ridden by Tom David, beat Gone Platinum, ridden by Wayne Maskill by a head.
Mrs Goldsworthy had won the same race last year with her Camelot King.
Joe De Lisle Wells, a steward at the meeting, saw his homebred The Doc, ridden by Peter Bryan, land the Aged Horses Maiden.
Ex-jockey Nathan Deakin, who trains the horse and who was saddling his first winner, quipped: “I would never have won on him if I had been riding.”
The Men’s Open race went to Universal Soldier who, ridden by James Bowen, had eight lengths to spare over NorthGeorge.
James had been in good form at the Llangeinor and Pentyrch meeting two days earlier, where there were plenty of thrills and spills. He scored on Flying Eagle and Sir Du Bearn, but Bradley Gibbs stole the day’s riding honours with a double for David Brace, courtesy of Dunraven Doc in the Young Horse Maiden and Pink Eyed Pedro in the Members race.
Hannah Lewis took the Ladies’ Open on Keith Pritchard’s Watch The Birdie, and Byron Moorcroft won the Open Maiden race on Ruperra Tom.
The longest priced and easiest winner at this meeting was 12-1 chance BackOfTheRock who, under Wayne Maskill (who deserves more rides than he usually gets), won the Restricted by 25 lengths from Brideberry.
Welsh hunt-racing enthusiasts will be flocking to Chepstow Racecourse on Friday evening for the Dunraven Bowl Hunter Chase, which is the one race all owners, trainers and riders strive to win.
Ben Jones was in double form again at the Tivyside on Sunday, scoring on Glenteeneasaigh (Restricted) and Robin des People (Open Maiden).
You can send your racing news and views to Brian Lee by emailing brianlee@virginmedia.com or by phoning 029 2073 6438.