A canter through names of well-known winners
Connor Brace, 16, from Bridgend, who rode 21 winners during the 2017-18 point-topoint season, which won him the national novice riders’ championship and the Wilkinson Sword Trophy, is the latest in a long line of Welsh riders to have been successful.
Last season it was the turn of Pembrokeshire’s James Bowen, who rode a record 30 winners.
James’ brother Sean Bowen was successful in 2014 and before him in 2007 was another young rider from Pembrokeshire, John Mathias, the only rider who can boast of riding six winners at a point-to-point not just once but on two occasions!
In 1991, Guy Lewis, then 16, from Llanmartin, now a racecourse judge, was successful, and before him Monmouthshire’s Mark Richards, who had won it outright in 1983, also sharing the title the previous year, 1982, with Hereford’s Willie Bryan and with John Mathias’ father, Tenby farmer Phillip Mathias.
John and Phillip are the only father and son to have won the award.
Mark, a part-time soldier in the SAS, was sadly killed in a shooting accident on exercise in Belize, Central America in 1992.
He had also won it outright in 1981. Abergavenny farmer’s son Mark was a most talented amateur rider and the term gentleman rider certainly applied to him.
Incidentally, Paul Hamer, another rider from the Bridgend area, who now lives in west Wales with his trainer wife Debra, rode ten winners in 1978 to claim the Grand Marnier Novice Riders’ title.
Meanwhile this week, with the help of one of my many Western Mail press cuttings books, we look back to what was happening on the Welsh hunt-racing scene in 1979.
Under the heading ‘Riders Win Fight For Free Parking’ this is what I had to say: “Point-to-point riders have won their fight for free parking at Welsh meetings. Annoyed with having to pay £2 to park their cars, 30 riders signed a petition demanding free admission. Welsh officials have now granted their request and in future all riders will pay at the gate but get a refund at the secretary’s tent.’
On the question of weight allowances, and under the heading ‘Thomas Gets His Way At Last’, I reported: “Bridgend farmer Dillwyn Thomas, a campaigner for weight allowances for young horses in point-to-points, will finally see his wish come true this season. Under the new regulations governing the sport, all five year-olds will be allowed seven pounds.’’
The present day Mrs Shan Farr, who gained fame on her father Tom Morgan’s prolific Mandryka, proved she wasn’t a one-horse rider when I reported that: “Rhondda farmer’s daughter Shan Morgan piloted her father’s Moonello to a surprise win in the womens’race at the rearranged Carmarthen Hunt Steeplechases on Saturday.”
Moonello, a 10-1 chance, drew away on the second circuit to score by 10 lengths from the odds-on favourite Knight’s Queen, ridden by Joan Vaughan, who was having her first ride in public.’
Tudor Harris, who farms the land at Bonvilston where point-to-point racing will be returning next season, was also in the news when I reported ‘Harris In 33-1 Shock Victory’. “Tudor Harris, aged 31, who farms near Cardiff, landed a shock 33-1 winner yesterday. He partnered Mr B E Allen’s ex-hurdler Morning Miss to a half-a-length victory over the fast finishing Prince Haven 11 at the Brecon Hunt Steeplechases.’
For the record, Karen Bryan, now the wife of leading Pembrokeshire trainer Peter Bowen, won on Semper Spees and Little Fleur, and her brother John Bryan was successful on Sparkford and Red Account.
Under the heading ‘Hard Times for jockey Barry’ I revealed that: “A former leading National Hunt jockey, who has fallen on hard times is working as a stable-hand in a small South Wales permit holder’s yard. He is top trainer Fulke Walwyn’s former first stable jockey Irishman Barry Brogan.’
In fact, Brogan was training a horse to pull off a big gambling coup, the story of which is told in my book Racing Rogues: The Scams, Scandals and Gambles of Horse Racing in Wales, published by St David’s Press.
Another of my reports read: “‘Chepstow’s David Stephens came in for a chance ride at the Tredegar Farmers Hunt Steeplechases at Lower Machen and landed a 66-1 winner. Stephens took the ride on course specialist 11-year-old Boundtobe after the intended rider, Anthony Raymond, had taken a tumble in the previous race.
“Boundtobe, who was winning over the Machen course for the fourth time, won the Adjacent by a neck from Barvic for his new owner, John Jones,of Caerphilly.”
Stephens also won the men’s open on Linden Lad, which beat Fitz while at the Gelligaer Farmers meeting, also held at Lower Machen that year.
Tim Rooney rode a four-timer when scoring on Quiz Master, Fitz, Cross Town and Saucy Kiss. Fitz was wining his 20th race and I also reported that “Diane Harries’ Knight Queen, confidently ridden by Cowbridge’s John Llewellyn, landed the BMW Open race at the Vale of Clettwr Hunt Steeplechases ‘ and “Of the five runners in the women’s race, only Romany Park, ridden by Shan Morgan, put in a clear round and came home alone.’
■ Email your racing news and views to brianlee4@virginmedia. com or phone 029 2073 6438.