Getting in harness for the grand old Welsh tradition of horse races
Maureen Lloyd takes a look back on some of the highlights of the 2017 harness racing season
LOOKING back on mid Wales trotting during 2017 one inevitably thinks of the weather, which generally provided good conditions for racing. It was a little dry early on, but the showers in the latter part of the season helped the tracks provide some wonderfully competitive racing.
As usual the season began on the all-weather track at Amman Valley with two meetings a fortnight apart. The prestigious Llangadog meeting has provided the opening meeting of the season for generations and still retains the atmosphere of anticipation for the start of racing.
The winner of the very first race of the season was Greenhill Lillian (Thomas, Rhymney) in the nursery when she clocked up an excellent time which that day was only beaten by the open horses. We should have taken notice then that this was a mare to watch.
After a few outings in May and June it was July before she got into her stride to win five races in three weeks including Aberystwyth, Caersws, the STAGBI mares’ free for all and completing the series by winning Novice heat and final at Penybont. Along with two wins on her final appearance of the year she secured the Mathew Tromans cup for the most improved horse.
She had third place in the junior President’s cup and ninth in the prizewinners’ list, winning more than £1,000 in just 12 starts. This homebred five-year-old looks all set to reach racing heights.
The President’s cup for junior horses was dominated by five-yearold mares, Rhyds Panalulah (Gething, Ewyas Harold) was second while the hard working Turn the Paige (Miles, Merthyr) secured the trophy.
The President’s cup for the open horses was won by the top moneywinner for the season, Chinatown Kolt (Jones, Llanllwni); on his first season with Mid Wales racing, he claimed £2,230 from 30 starts.
His first success came at Knighton races, the first grass meeting of the season. He kept up the Hitchcock stable tradition and took heat and final at Penybont. This helped secure the title of people’s favourite for the year.
Second in the President’s cup was the stunning Ayr Ontario (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey); he won the Presteigne grade B final along with several others. And in third place was Lakeside Pan (Elder, New Quay); he was another horse winning at the first meeting in May as well as the prestigious Talgarreg meeting, the Ammanford free for all in July as well as several heats, despite his handicap going back to 50 yards. For this he was awarded the Terry Boxhall Memorial cup for outstanding performance.
Pan was also third in the winners list with £2,030 to his credit.
Ithon Inmate (Price, Brecon) didn’t collect any silverware at the annual awards, but he was again in the list of the top prizewinners with more than £2,000 and eight wins to celebrate.
Rebus (Thomas, Rhymney), a little horse who proved to have a big heart, was fourth in the prize money stakes winning more than £1,500. He had to play second fiddle to Chinatown Kolt at Penybont but at the Llandrindod meeting a couple of weeks later he took heat and final.
He finished the season with six wins, one of which was his first saddle, with daughter Lucy in the plate.
Fold the Notes (Perks, Presteigne) is a well-named horse, he took the Kington grade-B heat and final as well as the Caersws B final with two saddle wins, one at Penybont and one at Almeley. He and partner Rebecca Williams have shown great adaptability to clock up six wins and £1,225 and now he transfers into the Grade A.
George Gentle began the season in the Novice division and with four wins on the trot, he also won the Grade B final at Old Radnor races and finished the season with £1,045 in the pot.
No Mercy (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) hung up his harness at the end