Outdoor Sports News - with PembrokeshireSport.co.uk

History made at Tivyside meeting 

Pembrokeshire’s talented jockey John Mathias has established all sorts of records over the past few seasons but none more so than at Cilwendeg on Saturday, when he rode an astonishing SIX winners to create a new record for Welsh point-to-pointing!

Making its way back onto the Lewis’ family sideboard for the sixth time since its inauguration is the winner’s trophy for the Tivyside Hunt Members race. Trained by Bridget Lewis and owned by father in law, past Hunt Master Dewi Lewis, odds on favourite ‘Balearic Star’ came home a five length winner from ‘Bizarre Native’ in the opening race of the day.

Ridden by South Pembrokeshire jockey John Mathias, it proved a day to go down in history as Mathias went on to ride another five winners, the next three, his father Phillip’s ‘Lydstep Hills’ (Confined Race), Eric Clough’s ‘Pathian Prince’ (Intermediate Race) & David Llewellyn’s ‘Rosie’s Peacock’ (Men’s Open Race) also all hail from South Pembrokeshire, with the latter two now having the Dunraven Windows Novice Hunter Chase at Chepstow on April 15th    as a potential target.  When asked what his future plans were for ‘Lydstep Hills’, Mathias senior said he was unsure about his horse, but he knew that his lay down at his local watering hole, the Cresswell Quay, about 9pm!

Change of face in winner’s enclosure

‘Chestnut Annie’ and Isobel Thompsett provided a change of face to the winners’ enclosure when taking the only race Mathias could not ride in, the AGA Ladies Open, Annie, easily accounting for sole rival ‘Chandlers Cross’ ridden by Jodie Hughes, enjoyed the good ground at the Cilwendeg course.

Thirteen runners went to post in the Restricted Race but it was Mathias and previous Brecon Maiden winner ‘Saint Peray’, owned by Clarbeston Road trainer Dai Rees, who came away five lengths to the good from Paul Tolman and the Rob Scrine trained ‘On Oath’.  Scrine teamed up with Nick Williams in the next race, the Maiden Division one, gaining compensation with 9 year old gelding ‘Atmywitsend’.

Mathias ended the day as he has started in Division two of the Maiden Race aboard Tivyside Hunt qualified horse, ‘Banagher’. Coming home to a great reception from the crowd, creating history in winning his sixth race of the day, a feat never achieved before by a Welsh jockey!

PHOTOS: John Mathias (above) - clearly delighted by his amazing six-timer!

John (right) celebrates aboard Banagher.

Pictures supplied by Alun Sedgmore of Sporting Prints.