A slow return to normal, but signs are good

WE are slowly making progress back to normality and the Welsh Government has now given us the go-ahead to re-open our raceday restaurant and hospitality suites.

This is in addition to the return of spectators, who were back on course for our meeting on Thursday, June 17.

For our next fixture on Tuesday, July 20 – the opening meeting of our flat season – Bridles Restaurant will be open for lunch.

Details of the packages on offer are available on our website. There are seven races from 1.55pm. General admission tickets are £15 and must be booked in advance for track and trace purposes.

After much consideration, we have decided to move the Kaiser Chiefs concert after racing on Friday, August 27 to Thursday, June 2, 2022.

The current Covid restrictions governing attendances at race meetings means we are only allowed to have up to 4,000 spectators. Clearly, the event is going to sell far more tickets than this, so we have made the decision to hold the show next year.

Friday, August 27 will now revert to Ladies’ Day. For all customers who have purchased tickets for the Kaiser Chiefs, there are a range of options available and these are being communicated by e-mail.

The new Kaiser Chiefs date is the first day of the four-day Whitsun Bank Holiday to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, which runs from Thursday to Sunday.

Pembrokeshire trainer Dai Rees’s Kingston King was odds-on when trotting up at Newton Abbot last Tuesday. He is entered in two races at Worcester on Wednesday and another at Newton Abbot on Friday.

Peter Bowen has never been afraid to travel long distances – almost everywhere is a long way from his Haverfordwest base – and his More Buck’s and Staple Head are entered at Perth on Thursday. Bowen was out of luck with his runners in the big races at Uttoxeter and Cartmel at the weekend but overall he’s having a great 2021-22 season so far.

David Probert notched up a double at Newcastle’s Pitmens’ Derby meeting on Saturday. He got Oo De Lally home by a shorthead for Andrew Balding after an easy win on Second Slip for James Fanshawe.

With nine winners in the last fortnight bringing his score for the year to 70, he has every chance of topping his best-ever annual total of 112.

There are fixtures at Ffos Las on August 3, 11-12 and 26-27. Children aged 17 and under go free.