Teenage Kicks proves hard to beat with Steph in the saddle
Carmarthen farmer’s daughter Steph Rogers, 19, riding her mother Hilary’s 12-year-old chestnut gelding Teenage Kicks, came to the aid of the bookmakers at the recent Carmarthen Hunt Point-To-Point Steeplechases when landing the Point-To-Point Owners and Riders Club Members Race For Novice and Veteran Riders.
The previous six races on the card had all been won by fancied horses, but Steph, who was riding the 6-1 chance, beat the odds-on favourite Hold Court, partnered by Isabel Williams.
She said: “I took up the lead four fences from the finish and although James Bowen’s mount Tony Star fell at the last, I think I had him beat.”
Steph, who rides out for Carmarthen National Hunt trainer Dai Rees, was chalking up only her second winner. The first had been on the same horse when she won the Hunt Members’ race at the Pembrokeshire in 2014.
However, she’s ridden a number of placed horses and, given the chance, more winners could come the way of this modest Pony Club graduate.
Pembrokeshire’s James Bowen looks as though he will be heading the same way as his older brother Sean, who rides out for leading National Hunt trainer Paul Nicholls. He came away with a double thanks to Fateh and Universal Soldier.
The former won the Horses and Geldings Maiden and the latter the Men’s Open.
Pembrokeshire’s Jodie Hughes, riding Spencer Moon, took the Ladies’ Open race and must be odds-on now to collect another Welsh ladies’ championship title.
And in a match for the Hunt Members’ Race, the long odds on Desertmore View gave Lorcan Williams another win after Ballett Marbleless unshipped Sioned Whittle two fences from the finish.
In the Mares and Fillies Maiden, Conor Orr made all on Mountain Of Angels to win by 25 lengths from Which Sky.
Meanwhile, congratulations to Ynyswbyl’s Bradley Gibbs on chalking up his 100th point-to-point winner.
Other Welsh riders who have ridden 100 winners or more between the flags are John Llewellyn (270), James Tudor (252), Dai Jones (206), Pip Jones (201), Evan Williams (198), John Mathias (196), Jamie Jukes (184), Nick Williams (168), Paul Hamer (146), Tim Rooney (144), Tim Jones (129), Mike Williams (124), Tim Vaughan (116), Bill Jones (113) and David Stephens (101).
And to think I had the honour and the pleasure of reporting on all the above riders reaching their 100th winner, going right back to 1966 when my first-ever reporting assignment found me filing my report on Bill Jones chalking up his 100th point-to-point win on Owen Stephens’ Double A at the Llangeinor Hunt evening meeting at Penllyn, Cowbridge.
The Pembrokeshire Hunt PointTo-Point fixture at Trecoed near Haverfordwest on June 3 will see the close of the Welsh season.
Racing gets under way at 2pm and after the sixth and last race there will be a Pembrokeshire Hunt Mixed Scurry race run over two miles.
The Racing Post list of leading National Hunt trainers for last season makes interesting reading. Llancarfan’s Evan Williams, who finished in 19th place, won a total of £598,388 for his owners.
Aberthin’s Tim Vaughan came 25th with a total of £478,013, Pembrokeshire’s Peter Bowen was 27th with a total of £476,682 and Newport Pembrokeshire trainer Rebecca Curtis finished in 30th place and a total of £432,230.
Send your racing news and views to Brian Lee by emailing brianlee4@virginmedia.com or calling 029 2073 6438.