And so, after goodness knows how many weeks of banging on about it, the first meeting of the season has come and gone. On the morning of Sunday, 5th May, all roads for the harness racing fraternity led to Tregaron.
The day before I went to the yard to get the trailer ready, as The Boss decided there was no need to take the lorry for one horse. While I was there I sat on Big Mac for the first time. Let's say he was uncharacteristically lively! I managed a short walk down the lane with The Boss walking on foot, then back, and that was it for the day. I think next time I'll get on him after he's been jogged around the track a few times! We put him back in his stable and he bucked, squealed and jumped around for a good five minutes, which is VERY unlike him. But, now that we know he can do it, we'll be making sure he transfers this energy to the racetrack!
So on Sunday I headed to Tregaron with my significant other, whom we shall call Smarty, as not only is he a hardcore harness racing follower, he's also a bookmaker. I wasn't on-duty as a groom, but I did clerk for Smarty (basically pressing buttons on a computer, something I have tonnes of experience doing!). It's a job that helps time between races pass quickly, and then allows me to give the racing my full attention (although with a slightly warped view of what I want to win!).
Here's my round up of the inaugural meeting of 2013:
Race 1
GDS STING
RUNAWAY GIRL
HILLTOP NANSBOY
VYRNWY TERROR
TALAVARY PRINCE
SAMS TEATIME
PETERSTONE SENATOR
The first race was a maiden (for horses that have never won a race), and featured horses that had travelled from Scotland, County Durham as well as Wales. The favourite was an imported horse, Sams Teatime trained and driven by the recently-returned Steve Lees. Unfortunately the horse showed his greenness and ran wide at the first bend, which turned a bit messy for some of the other horses (GD's Sting broke stride and galloped, as did Peterstone Senator). Vyrnwy Terror ran consistently throughout the race, however it turned into a two horse finish between the favourite and the winner, Hilltop Nansboy, driven by last season's champion driver William 'Rocker' Laidler (1st Hilltop Nansboy 2nd Sams Teatime 3rd Vyrnwy Terror 2.16.2, 3/4L & 7L).
Race 2
EPYNT SOPHIE
IMMALCULATE
EVENWOOD ACHILLES
GOSIP GIRL
TALAVARY SPLURGE
THE GOVERNOR
LAKESIDE PAN
The second race was another maiden, with the favourite being Immalculate, an unraced 3yo by Immortalized. Gosip Girl broke at the first bend despite a quick start, and Lakeside Pan took the opportunity to take the lead. Immalculate and Epynt Sophie both tried to challenge the leader down the back straight on the second lap but Jamie Davies held on with Ronnie John's 4yo TheOne-Night Pan gelding to win impressively in the quickest of the three maiden divisions (1st Lakeside Pan 2nd Immalculate 3rd Epynt Sophie 2.15.6, 8L & 5L).
Race 3
ONTOP GIRLCHARMER
EVENWOOD LIPSTICK
HILLTOP SKIPPER
RED ROMANCE
RHYDS PREMIER
SAUNDERS PARIS
WELLFIELD ALFIE
The third and final maiden division was won by the favourite, Ontop Girlcharmer driven by Steve Lees. Together they challenged the race leader Wellfield Alfie who had made his move to the front at the bell (half way mark). Hilltop Skipper with the young Irish driver Michael O'Mahony made a late move coming off the last bend but he couldn't quite get past Stevie who held on to win (1st Ontop Girlcharmer 2nd Hilltop Skipper 3rd Wellfield Alfie 2.15.7, head & 1L).
Race 4
WHAT ABOUT ME
GD'S TWIST
WHOSURBABY
MEADOWLAND TOM
HAWTHORNS MAGGIE
(10 YARDS)
RHYDS PONDER
MEADOWBRANCH JOSH
VALHALLA
In the first heat of three the long time leader and favourite Whosurbaby slowed the pace in the second quarter, allowing second favourite Rhyds Ponder to challenge towards the end of the race, but the favourite held on to win comfortably. The first three horses qualified for the final (1st Whosurbaby 2nd Rhyds Ponder 3rd Meadowbranch Josh 2.15.6, 2 1/2L & 1/2L).
Race 5
ANOTHER MAN
RHYD N WRITE
HARRY CAPPER
TALAVARY ACTIVATOR
AYR HERO
(10 YARDS)
SOUTHSIDEAFFECTION
LYONS STALLONE
The second heat started explosively with Rhyd N Write and driver Lee Vaughan hurtling to the lead at the first bend; they held that lead until the bell and as the field passed in front of the crowd at the start of the second lap the horses were five wide across the track vying for the front spot. Ayr Hero took it up and looked to be clear, and with the favourite stuck at the back heading down the back straight for the final time the race looked to be concluded. However, the mare Southsideaffection found her fifth gear, and some space, and mowed Ayr Hero down coming down the home straight with an impressive blast of speed to finish ahead of her competitors and providing Rocker with his second win (1st Southsideaffection 2nd Ayr Hero 3rd Rhyd N Write 2.14.4, 1L & 4L).
Race 6
INFINATEY
AMERICAN GIGOLO
(10 YARDS)
LADYFORD LAD
FRISCO HAVAGO
RHYDS HEARTBEAT
PURPLE RAIN
The third and final heat saw a fight for the lead at the start of the race, as the drivers of the two gate horses tussled down the back straight for the front. Mark Jones, driving Infinatey, abandoned his early attempt to take the lead and tucked in behind the leader American Gigolo with Rhys Evans. The pace slackened off after the early burst of speed, which allowed the remainder of the field to catch up. Infinatey made another challenge in the same place on the second lap, this time speeding past American Gigolo, and although Steve Lees and last year's Senior Welsh Dragon winner Frisco Havago tried to chase after them they were unable to catch the Welsh duo who sped over the line in the eventual fastest time of the day (1st Infinatey 2nd Frisco Havago 3rd American Gigolo 2.11.2, 12L & 1L).
Race 7
MIAMI SEELSTER
CAMDEN KINKI
BERETTA BOUGEOIS
ONTOP WYE PREACH
BILLY BONG
WELLFIELD GHOST
INSTANT COFFEE
DAKTAR
BLACKFIELD BILLIE
Rocker Laidler partnered the favourite here, Beretta Bourgeois, in the novice race (for horses who have won one race), however it broke stride on the last bend in pursuit of the leader Wellfield Ghost, who had taken up the position at the half way stage. Instant Coffee had been the early leader however was unable to maintain her early speed and faded as the race progressed (1st Wellfield Ghost 2nd Ontop Wye Preach 3rd Instant Coffee 2.15.5, 1/2L & 6L).
Race 8
ONTOP FUGATIVE
BRYWINS JASPER
RHYDS SOLUTION
MEWITH FORSURE
CONWAYS QUEST
MERRINGTON MISSILE
SHELWICK HERO
RHYDS PANACHE
The favourite in the Grade 1 handicap was again Rocker with his homebred horse Merrington Missile. Ontop Fugative was left behind and looked outclassed on the day. Rhyds Panache, with local (to me) driver David Bevan took the lead at the halfway point and managed to just hold on from the favourite, although both horses were pushed to the line by their drivers. Rhyds Solution ran well, bearing in mind he is only 3, and finished strongly in third (1st Rhyds Panache 2nd Merrington Missile 3rd Rhyds Solution 2.15.6, neck & 2L).
Race 9
SHE TELLS ALL
LAKESIDE IDEAL
KIPLYN
YOUNG BUCK (N/R)
DAYLON DREAM
BILLY ELLIOT
AYR UNION
(10 YARDS)
RHYDS TRICKSTER
In this Grade 1 & 2 (Grade 2 horse starting off 10 yards) race yet again Rocker went off favourite with She Tells All. This time there were no flies in the ointment and he managed to notch up his hat-trick of wins on the day, after Rhyds Trickster was pulled up with a broken hopple and Ayr Union broke, although recovered. Lakeside Ideal also broke at the start which put an end to Ronnie John's hopes of a double with his homebred duo (1st She Tells All 2nd Billy Elliot 3rd Lakeside Ideal 2.16.4, 1L & 6L).
Race 10
BRYWINS JOLENE
RUDD HANOVER
GINGER MAN
(10 YARDS)
RHYDS PAN AM
PAGE BANK MAGGIE
WHISPUR
CAMDEN CASANOVA
Rudd Hanover in the hands of Jason Podmore was chased early to the front to overtake initial leader Brywins Jolene, although the burst of speed caused him to falter as the race went on. David Bevan made a big move at the bell to take it up with Camden Casanova and was never caught, storming home in a very impressive fashion with the rest of the field fighting it out for the placings (1st Camden Casanova 2nd Whispur 3rd Rhyds Pan Am 2.14.0, 11L & nose).
Race 11
HOWARDS CONTENDER
HOME HABANA
MATADOR HALL
RHYDS DESTINY
Although there were only four runners in the Open Preferred Handicap (for high grade horses, with the horse with the lowest earnings drawn 1, and the horse with the highest earnings drawn (in this case) on the outside in 4 - in racecard order, as above), this race proved to be as exciting as it possibly could be. Howards Contender failed to get up onto the gate quickly enough at the start of the race and actually went off 10 yards behind the other three, which in this company is not advisable! Home Habana was the winner of the Appleby Final last summer, Rhyds Destiny a winner of over £31,000 with a lifetime best of 1.56.9 and Matador Hall, winner of 15 races and consistently placed at the highest level. The Cilmery Final winner recovered and made a move at the quarter pole, taking the lead from early front runner Home Habana who made full use of the empty space on his inside at the start. The highlight of the race was the finish, however. All four horses crossed the finishing line together with a photo finish called, after Andrew Cairns struggled to get out from the back coming off the final turn with Rhyds Destiny and Howards Contender rallying to challenge Home Habana. Top level racing provided a top level finish, and these horses proved the old adage 'quality, not quantity'! (1st Home Habana 2nd Rhyds Destiny 3rd Howards Contender 2.16.7, neck & nose).
Race 12
AYR PANDEMIC
FRISCO MICK
OAKVIEW GEORGE
BABY ROSA
CLOUD BURST
The feature race of the day, and the only race not to be run as penalty free (where the prize money isn't added to the horse's lifetime earnings, thus not affecting its handicap mark), was the Senior Welsh Dragon, for 4yo colts/geldings and fillies that have usually raced at 2 and 3 in the Welsh Dragon series (or at least have to have been paid in since foals). The colts and fillies race together at this age and Baby Rosa was the strongest candidate of the two fillies (the other being Ayr Pandemic who never figured in the race) to try and overthrow the power of the colts. She raced out of the gate in the hands of Tregaron-based Rhys Evans to take an early lead, and the rest was history. Mick Lord with her strongest challenger Oakview George found himself boxed in by Andrew Cairns and Cloud Burst coming off the last bend, and by the time he found his escape route the damage had been done. He chased Baby Rosa to the line but never managed to pass her, and Rhys Evans celebrated two wins in a row, this time with the family-owned filly (1st Baby Rosa 2nd Oakview George 3rd Cloud Burst 2.15.8, 1/2L & 1 1/2L)
Race 13
RHYD N WRITE
AYR HERO
WHOSURBABY
(10 YARDS)
SOUTHSIDEAFFECTION
MEADOWBRANCH JOSH
RHYDS PONDER
(20 YARDS)
INFINATEY
AMERICAN GIGOLO
(30 YARDS)
FRISCO HAVAGO
And to the last race of the day, the Tregaron Spring Handicap Final. Infinatey went off a short favourite due to his scorching time in the heats. Rhyd N Write again led out of the gate, as he did in his heat, and maintained his position until Whosurbaby took up the mantle at the quarter. Meadowbranch Josh came to challenge at the halfway mark, and Ayr Hero found himself boxed in. Infinatey, biding his time, decided to make progress at the third quarter, and came off the bend chased by late finisher Southsideaffection and Whosurbaby who stayed on well. However on this occasion it wasn't enough to stop the homebred 5yo holding on, to add yet another trophy to the cabinet following his impressive victory last year in the S4C sponsored Welsh Cup (1st Infinatey 2nd Southsideaffection 3rd Whosurbaby 2.13.5, 1 1/2L & 2L).
So there we have it. Phew, that was a long post! Don't expect every week to be the same, I was particularly hyped up about the start of the season and perhaps paying more attention than usual as my friends Emma and Rachel were otherwise engaged (Emma had two drives and Rachel was in the beer tent!).
Roll on Leominster!
Over and out,
Sarah (#1 Groom, or clerk in this case!)
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