Fun finale as the season signs off in grand style
THE final race meeting of the season is always full of fun and frolics. All proceeds go to charity and this year it was the Air Ambulance who benefited, a charity often needed by the equine sector.
After a rather dismal start to the day the afternoon was sunny, with good racing to entertain the crowd.
The Nursery race is for young horses or new drivers to hone their skills before moving into competitive racing.
Evenwood Predator with owner David Duggan from Howey in the seat looks all set to give the family one to follow next season, as they took first place from another improver, Talavary Zodiac (Thomas & Staples, Merthyr).
In the first novice race the impressive Rhyds Panalulah claimed another win for the Gething family from Ewyas Harold under the guidance of trainer Derek Pritchard, while in second was the aptly-named Second Affair (Thomas, Rhymney).
In the second Novice it was Turn the Paige driven by Janet Thomas from Tregroes for the Miles stable from Merthyr. This mare has found spectacular form in the later part of the season. They gained another win this week from an improved Beacon Spellbound (Davies, Huntington).
In the Baby Novice race the strongminded Garth Vader (Williams, Brecon) partnered by Lynne Boxhall was first past the post, with stable mate Brywins Awesome (Hardwick, Brecon) in second.
In the grade B, husband and wife team Robert and Louisa Barton went head-to-head on the Weigel stable from Llanddewi Velfrey entries, and it was Robert having his first drive for several months who inspired Makemeamillionayr to thrust his head out and beat Louisa on Ayr Ontario.
Rebus (Thomas, Rhymney) is a little horse who has come into his own in the last half of the season, and with Mark Evans at the controls they claimed the Grade A prize beating the long-time leader Scoobys Dream (Williams, Brecon).
After the presentation of the season’s awards the afternoon proceeded with the light-hearted races. The first was the human race where the horse was replaced by a person. There was plenty of rivalry, with most of the “drivers” being chosen for their small size, while most of the “horses” were young and athletic.
The non-whip race followed when Rhyds Panalulah (Gething, Ewyas Harold) with trainer Derek Pritchard in the seat needed little encouragement to claim a second win from Ayr Ontario (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey).
Six entries in the saddle race provided a wonderful spectacle for the public with two of the entries bidding farewell to their racing careers.
Ten-year-old Meadowland Hasty (Price, Brecon) has been a wonderful horse and has especially excelled under saddle usually accompanied by Emma Layton, while No Mercy (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) the saddle horse of 2017 is 12-years-old, and he is bowing out at the end of a very successful career.
In contrast Rebus (Thomas, Rhymney), the first time in a saddle race and partnered by first timer Lucy Thomas, cousin to the owner, flew to the front to win from Makemeamillionayr (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey).
The Junior race is to encourage the youngsters who often do a lot of the work looking after the horses at home, giving them their moment to shine.
Ellie Tromans from Newcastle Emlyn on the family’s Beg for Mercy completed a championship season winning from Hurricane Howard this week ridden by Josie Duggan from Howey.
The Non-Drivers race gives the chance to those trackside experts to show what they can do.
This week there were three who had never race driven before, but it was Stella Havard, having hung up her race colours nine years ago due to injury, who urged their new acquisition Talavary Activator (Roberts, Dinmore) to sneak victory from another ex-driver Alan Peters with Habberley Playboy (Gittins & Johns, Shrewsbury).
The final race of the day was a mile-and-a-quarter Free For All; it was the muscular Ithon Inmate (Price, Brecon) with trainer Derek Pritchard in the seat who surged up the home straight to claim a fitting end to a wonderful season, in second was Chinatown Kolt (Jones, Llanllwni) another horse who has enjoyed a magnificent year.
With the final race meeting over, it is time for the horses to be turned out, the owners, trainers and drivers will still look back on the season and wonder what if?
Soon, however, it will be time for thoughts and plans to go towards next season. The 2018 season will start in May when, as one of our commentators would often say, we shall be trotting for your entertainment.