BRIAN’S BLAST FROM THE PAST

IN MY book The Races Came Off – the story of point-to-point racing in South and West Wales, I wrote: “The unfortunate closure of the delightful Penllyn Course at Cowbridge meant that the Glamorgan, Pentyrch and Llangeinor hunts all had to find new courses in 1970.’’

Later, I went on to write: “The conditions were so bad at the Glamorgan, held for the first time at St Hilary, that cars were getting bogged down in the mud on the way to the course!

“One person who came away smiling was John Lyons, joint secretary of the Pentyrch Hunt.

“Mr Lyons backed his own horse, Pappa’s Orphan, on the tote and collected £54.9s for 4 shillings after it had ploughed through the mud with Robert Lewis ahead of his much more fancied stable-companion Miss Ella, ridden by Robert Oakes to land the maiden.

“There was a sensational finish to the men’s open at the Tredegar Farmers’ at Lower Machen, which saw the close to the season.

“The late Katie Gaze’s Frozen Dawn,the odds-on favourite, jumped the last fence with a good lead over Mr MC Watt’s Silver Too.

“But Frozen Dawn, still full of running, was suddenly eased by her apparently over confident rider, Henry Oliver, just before the winning post with the result that Silver Too was able to catch and pass her.

“The judge, however, saw things differently and gave a head verdict in Frozen Dawn’s favour.

“As for Mr Oliver, he was called before the stewards who cautioned him for going to sleep!

“The postscript to the story is that Frozen Dawn just three days later won the coveted Lady Dudley Cup.

“There was more controversy following the maiden race. It was claimed that the winner Owen Little’s Tonnerre Bijou, was not qualified to run,having won a race in Jersey.’’

I well remember that evening as officials tried hard to get the judge to reverse the placings in the men’s open race, but he would not be persuaded to change his mind. ■ Please email your racing news and views to brianlee4@virginmedia.com or telephone 029 2073 6438.