A new day dawned in the world of Welsh Point to Pointing on a bright and sunny Easter Monday at the picturesque Lydstep course...
Surrounded by a massive Bank Holiday crowd of racegoers the finish of the PPORA Club Members Maiden Race was announced to be a dead heat. At each meeting there is now an official operating an I pad on the finish the line filming the final stages of the race. The judge can then view the photograph and make a correct decision as they can under rules. There was a slight delay to the announcement which had the bookmakers wondering as by this point both jockeys involved had weighed in; but then the announcement came, and some rapid calculations had to be carried out to decide how much was due to winning punters. For the connections of Deadly Missile (IRE), Bradley Gibbs and Frankie Faulkner (IRE) it was welcome result as neither horse deserved to lose after a hard-fought battle to the line. Both horses involved were receiving a four-pound allowance for being five-year-olds and were on level weights. Hold your Fort (IRE) was two lengths back in third.
This victory made up the middle leg of a treble for Bradley Gibbs who also scored on Nan’s Gift (IRE) and Lessankhan(GER).
The diminutive Nan’s Gift ran out the 6/4 favourite of the second race on the card the Jockey Club Maiden for Mares and Fillies where she scored by a length over Queen Kalamba (IRE) with Boss Baby (IRE) back in third. Trainer Robbie Llewellyn had come back to Wales from his new Barbury Castle base and had spent the weekend “home with Mam”. Nan’s Gift is a tale of hope for all would be owners of winners as the mare was purchased for the sum of £500. Sourced by Robbie, who alongside training is heavily involved in the film and TV industry as a supplier of equine “extras”, to fulfil the needs of the Coral Grand National advert the daughter of Presenting (GB) mare was formally with Brian Ellison.
Lessankhan fulfilled favouritism and scored by the distance of the run in in the final contest of the day, the Intermediate, for the Dunraven Stud yard of David Brace with Rock on Carlos (IRE) the only other finisher in second.
Dunraven Stud also had victory in the Men’s Open where Looksnowtlikebrian (IRE) and Oisin Radford galloped out the 6/4 victor over Galop Du Bosc (FR) and Frelia (IRE). Both of the first two horses were making their second racecourse appearance in forty-eight hours, and neither were the worst for their exertions dualling all the way to the line in a fast run race. Looksnowtlikebrian who has been in ultra-consistent form this year gave twenty-year-old Oisin his third winner between the flags. Breeding enthusiasts will note that the eleven-year-old gelding is by Brian Boru (GB) who stood for a time at Dunraven Stud and is one of several Coolmore stallions to find their way to Pyle over the years. The latest of these is Leading Light (IRE) victorious in the St Leger and Ascot Gold Cups under Joseph O’Brian for father Aiden.
The Ladies Open went the way of another horse with a Coolmore connection. The striking chestnut Foreign Secretary (GB) with his big, offset white face is easily recognisable and the son of Galileo (IRE) started his career in the hands of Aiden O’Brien for the Tabor/Magnier connections. The gelding ran out an easy victor a match race with Desert Roe (IRE) and finished alone under Alice Stevens for Luke Price. It was no surprise victory as Foreign Secretary had won his previous two outings and earned himself a rating of 113.
The day had started with a popular win for Morehurrylesshaste (IRE) for trainer Jodie Hughes and her partner Scott Malson. One of the most successful jockeys to ride in the Welsh area Jodie has retired from the saddle and trains two horses from home at the farm for her father. Partner Scott is on hand to assist, and this was Jodie’s first winner as a trainer and Scott’s second as a jockey. The odds on favourite Hitroadjack (IRE) was half a length second under Bradley Gibbs, awarding him the leading rider of the day award with Astracad (FR) and Daniel Ellis back in third. A touching irony to this win was that the 18th of April was the date on which Jodie’s friend Lorna Brooke lost her life a year ago after a horror fall at Taunton. A poignant reminder of the risks the jockeys take in the name of our sport.
The day closed with a pony race that went right back to the roots of this sport with ponies that Pony Club, go on picnics and hunt turned into racing ponies for the day. The very popular winner was Lewan Cruise Mills and his grey pony Dance Alone. Wearing the red and blue starred colours of his father Gethin, Lowan received one of the biggest cheers of the day as he came into the winner’s enclosure.
It took some time for the crowd to disperse, and many picnics lingered for a few hours after the racing enjoying the sunshine and reflecting on a good day’s racing at a course that first held a meeting in 1948.