SCARLETS LOSE YOUNG STARLET
TALENTED Wales U20s back Josh Hathaway has signed for Gloucester Rugby from the Scarlets.
The 6ft, 13st 3lb player has joined the Cherry and Whites’ senior academy with immediate effect.
His preferred position is fullback but he made his Wales U20 debut on the wing against Italy in March and is viewed as a significant prospect, boasting speed and strength.
Aberystwyth-born, he is studying at Hartpury College and becomes the latest in a long line of Hartpury students to sign for the Cherry and Whites, following in the footsteps of the likes of Louis Rees-zammit and England’s Jonny May.
The Scarlets issued a short statement saying: “Scarlets can confirm that full-back Josh Hathaway has been released from the Scarlets Academy for personal reasons.
”Josh, who is studying at Hartpury College, has signed a contract with Gallagher Premiership side Gloucester to join their senior academy.
“We wish Josh well for the future.”
Hathaway began his playing career with Aberystwyth RFC where he also represented Ceredigion Schools U15s before joining the Scarlets Rugby academy.*
THE thoughts of everyone in the team at Ffos Las are with our founder and former chairman Dai Walters following last week’s helicopter crash.
Mr Walters was injured in the accident in North Wales and is, at the time of writing, in intensive care in hospital.
Trainer Sam Thomas was also on board the helicopter but escaped without serious injury.
Mr Walters’s chaser Al Dancer scored a dramatic and emotional victory in the Grand Sefton Chase over the Grand National fences on Saturday. The gelding was in the lead from Becher’s Brook.
Wayward jumps to the right at the last two fences gave his pursuers hope, and Gesskille closed in on him remorselessly on the run-in. But the photo-finish revealed Al Dancer had hung on by a nose.
A frustrating afternoon for Sean Bowen at Aintree ended happily with Gunsight Ridge’s success in a two-mile chase. The Olly Murphy-trained favourite had enough in hand to overcome mistakes at the fourth last and the last to win decisively.
Earlier Bowen made the running on market leader Ree Okka in a novice chase. He jumped well at every fence except the last, and that was enough to cost him the race.
Riding another favourite an hour later, Brewin’upastorm, the horse jinked at the first hurdle and unseated him.
The going for our meeting at Ffos Las on Sunday was soft, verging on heavy by the end of the afternoon.
Alminar was having his first outing for Evan Williams in the three-mile chase and was going the best when Adam Wedge steered him into the lead two out. The result was in no doubt from that point. He was returned at 8-1.
The three-mile hurdle attracted six runners, and Evan Williams supplied three of the horses and two of the jockeys – daughters Isabel and Eleanor. But it was Wedge’s mount Holdbacktheriver who did best by finishing second.
Carriglux showed a little promise for David and Connor Brace, finishing fourth at 100-1 behind Kilbeg King, the impressive winner of the maiden hurdle.
The Welsh Horse Racing Awards took place last week and Sean Bowen took the Jump Jockey crown, with Evan Williams winning the Jump Trainer award. Steve and Jackie Fleetham took the National Hunt Breeder award, and Sam Bailey, who is based with Bridgend trainer John Flint, collected the Stable Staff award.