PHOTO:
Jockey Richard Patrick leads on 'Mad Money'

A bumper crowd turned up for the final meeting of the Welsh Point to Point season at Trecoed  on Saturday and the last day of the local season saw a few close finishes, none better than the Maiden Race where four horses jumped the last fence in a row.

Good day for the lady jockeys

‘Askgarmor’ and Jodie Hughes came out on top in that race, coming home an official length in front of the rest of the field. ‘Lake Balaton’ was runner up with ‘Which Sky’ finishing third. This was jockey Hughes’ 60^th career success, and amazingly she had never previously sat on this horse, and came in for the spare ride on the day of the meeting.

She wasn’t the only lady jockey to have a winner on the day because Charlotte Evans steered ‘Macarthur’ to victory in the opening race, the Hunt Members Race, coming home in front of Richard Patrick and ‘Hunky Dorey’. Evans took up the lead from three out, and couldn’t be caught as they achieved the pair’s second success of the season.

Patrick double success

Richard Patrick rode a double to put him into second place in the National Gentleman Novice Riders championship, the first of which coming in the Restricted Race, where he and ‘Mad Money’ made virtually all in the race, only to be headed on the run in by ‘Welsh Design’ and Matthew Barber. Patrick and ‘Mad Money’ found more though and stayed on gamely to come home half a length in front.

The second leg of the young local jockey’s double came in the four mile Mixed Open where ‘Boyfromnowhere’ came home a convincing winner, with prolific point to pointer ‘Rosie’s Peacock’ finishing six lengths behind in second. The winner has some form under rules when with Becky Curtis over the further distance, so this suited him just fine. The runner up has yet again had a brilliantly consistent season, and lost nothing in defeat.

Mathias misses out on a first place

The last race on the card, the Intermediate Race was won by ‘Ride on Time’ and Bradley Gibbs as the progressive six year old yet again showed his potential and came home a couple of lengths clear of ‘Princess Tina’ and John Mathias. It was a relatively easy victory for the pair, who made virtually all the running. This was another winner on the board for jockey Gibbs, who is only a couple of winners off a career tally of 100.

To finish off the day, the Pembrokeshire Hunt organised a ‘Mixed Scurry’ which was run over two miles, where horses and riders jumped all of the fences, except for the open ditch. The victorious pair was Sarah Jones and 15 year old ‘Quicksilver’, who hunt with the Vale of Clettwr. The race drew a lot of attention, and was a definite hit for onlookers.

Congratulations due

Despite the dry weather of the previous week the course was in excellent condition thanks to the efforts of Trecoed owner Willie Miles and his helpers, who watered the areas around the fences for the final time at 5.30am on the day of the races!

Congratulations should also go to Lucy Thomas, the new Hon Secretary who took over from previous incumbent Mike Davies and did well to ensure the typically smooth running of this popular event!

PHOTO:
Charlotte Evans (wearing colours red and black) aboard ‘Macarthur’ won the Hunt Members Race