Challenging track puts horses to test
Trotting has completed show day at Beulah for many years and the tradition is still as popular as ever. After a day of sunshine and showers the track was quite sticky, giving the staying horses an advantage.
In the Nursery race, the youngsters were struggling up the home straight, but Llwyns Mercy, driven by Jonny James for Elizabeth Collingwood from Huntington, seemed to have reserves of energy, claiming first place from the fading Evenwood Predator (Duggan, Howey), while new recruit Talavary Activator (Roberts, Dinmore) ran on to be third.
In the first Novice heat, the inform Second Affair (Thomas, Rhymney), driven this week by Shane Eggerton, produced another good effort to come home in front of Ayr Fella (Lloyd, Painscastle), a horse improving each week, while the consistent Jets Girl (Langford, Onibury) was third.
BEULAH SHOW TROTTING RACE RESULTS
Nursery Llwyns Mercy (Jonny James) owned/ trained Collingwood, Huntington; Evenwood Predator; Talavary Activator. Time: 2:44.22 Novice – heat 1 Second Affair (Shane Eggerton) owned/trained Thomas, Rhymney; Ayr Fella; Jets Girl. Time: 2:37.84 Novice – heat 2 Lanehouse Patch (Lynne Boxhall)
Lanehouse Patch (Thomas, Merthyr), with her partner Lynne Boxhall, ran a cracking race to claim the second Novice heat from Evenwood Thumps Up (Lewis, Llanbister), while Turn the Paige (Miles, Merthyr) ran on to be third.
The stunning Ayr Ontario (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey), with his usual driver Louisa Barton in the seat, took the Grade B from the reliable homebred Hyar Temptation (Thomas, Tregroes), while the consistent Made in Wales (Hawkes, Llanddewi) came in third.
Habberley Playboy (Gittins/Johns, Shrewsbury), with the experienced Mathew Tromans on board, took the Grade A from the tiring Dernol Duke (Morgan, Knighton), running his best race for some time, while No Mercy (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) owned Thomas, Merthyr, trained Boxhall, Brecon; Evenwood Thumps Up; Turn the Paige.
Time: 2:37.75 Grade B Ayr Ontario (Louisa Barton) owned/ trained Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey; Hyar Temptation; Made in Wales. Time: 2:36.62 Grade A
Habberley Playboy (Mathew Tromans) owned Johns & Gittins, Shrewsbury, trained Tromans, was third.
CU Maggie (Bevan, Llanddewi) ran at Kington show before embarking for Beulah, where she won the Baby Novice race with her usual pilot Mel Langford.
The minor places were taken by Bad Romance (Eggerton, Norton Canon) and Ladyford John (Duggan, Howey).
The final race of the evening was the Novice final, in which there were many changes of lead as the testing ground played its part. Second Affair (Thomas, Rhymney), with Shane Eggerton in the seat, swept over the line in front of backmarker Evenwood Thumps Up (Lewis, Llanbister), while Ayr Fella (Lloyd, Painscastle) claimed third.
So at the end of a lovely evening of racing, we look forward to the joint meeting at Almeley on Saturday, September 16, when both Mid Wales and Wales & West horses will be competing. Start time is 1pm. Newcastle Emlyn; No Mercy. Time: 2:36.41 Dernol Duke; Baby Novice CU Maggie (Mel Langford) owned/ trained Bevan, Llanddewi; Bad Romance; Ladyford John. Time: 2:44.16 Novice Final Second Affair (Shane Eggerton) owned/trained Thomas, Rhymney; Evenwood Thumps Up; Ayr Fella. Time: 2:44.25