Festival hero Wedge among award winners
THE Welsh Government has asked for racecourses to suggest dates for trials with spectators in February.
This is clearly a positive step forward and we look forward to progressing matters in the coming weeks.
Crowds of up to 2,000 have been allowed in Tier 2 areas of England in recent weeks.
Our final meeting of the year at Ffos Las on Monday was abandoned because the course was waterlogged. The first fixture in the new year is on Wednesday, January 6.
Despite the extremely difficult commercial situation off the track, our sport has had another very strong year on it. The top-class results for our trainers, jockeys, owners and stable staff were recognised at the weekend when the winners of the 2020 Welsh Horse Racing Awards were announced. The awards are arranged by Chepstow, Ffos Las and Bangor racecourses.
The judging panel felt that this year’s achievements justified the awards for the jockey, trainer and owner of the year being split between Flat and National Hunt.
Adam Wedge, who won the Stayers’ Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival on Lisnagar Oscar, was the undisputed winner of the National Hunt award. David Probert, who rode his 1,000th career victory in June, took the Flat prize.
Evan Williams and David Evans were the clear winners of the National Hunt and Flat Trainer of the Year awards, both in terms of numbers of wins on the track and prize money.
The exploits of Pyledriver, who landed big prizes at Royal Ascot and York before finishing third in the St Leger, helped two of his owners – Guy and Huw Leach, of Cardiff – to the Flat Owner of the Year award.
Equally outstanding for the National Hunt Owners’ award are All Stars Sports Racing and Jonathan Davies, the group who own Coral Welsh Grand National winner Potters Corner.
Pyledriver was the leading flat horse, Lisnagar Oscar the top hurdler and Potters Corner the champion steeplechaser.
The Lifetime Achievement award was given to Brian Lee, the journalist and author who has written about Welsh racing for more than 50 years and who is still writing for local newspapers at the age of 84.
The Breeder of the Year award went to Usk Valley Stud.
Charlie Price was the winner of the Rising Star award. The young jockey is attached to Tim Vaughan’s yard. The Stable Staff Recognition Award went to Katie Powell, who works for trainer Sheila Lewis.