28 April 2009 Preview: Llangeinor - Laleston
by Brian Lee
DANCING CREDIT: unbeaten in Points this year
photo: Alun Sedgmore
One person who will be sadly missed at the Llangeinor Hunt Point To-Point this year will be Barbara Thomas, who with her husband Dillwyn farmed the land the races are held on at Laleston near Bridgend. Barbara, a former rider of note, and a Llangeinor Hunt stalwart died last year.
With a number of the horses down to run here also entered at the Banwen Miners' meeting two days later, selecting possible runners, never mind winners, is a difficult task. However, two that catch the eye in the Members race (11 entries) are Ship To Shore and Title Deed. The latter, owned and trained locally by chartered surveyor Jonathan Phillips, scored a two lengths win over HRH The Princess Royal's Dhu Loch at the Ystrad Taf Fechan but might have been flattered a little as Present D'Aze was disputing the lead when falling three fences from home.
The well backed Ship To Shore was a ten lengths second to Last Warrior at the Monmouthshire and there might not be a lot between this eight-year-old son of Saddler's Hall and Title Deed at the finish.
Dancing Credit, winner of the Confined here last year, has been entered for a repeat bid (10 entries) and also for the Ladies Open (10 entries). If lining up for the latter race, then strongest competition could come from Fleur De Nikos, who was a 12 length winner of the race last year.
Grey Kid and Lady Myfanwy look to have the Mens Open (8 entries) between them. The former, a winner of a Hereford Hunters' Chase earlier this season, ran well when pinching third place from Kisha King in last Friday's Dunraven Bowl Hunter Chase at Chepstow.
Lady Myfanwy came with a good late rally, having led briefly two out, to finish a half-a-length runner-up to Misamon in the Welsh Point-To-Point Grand National over three-and-a-hallf miles at the recent Pentych.
In the Restricted (21 entries), Burren Chieftain, who was made favourite at the Pentyrch only for the riders' saddle to slip has a good chance of beating Final Mick.
Jason Parfitt's Gateland, who finished a well-beaten third under John Lewis Llewellyn at the Pentyrch, should be given another chance in the young horse Maiden. If there is going to be a shock winner in this race then Ross Farr's Willotte could be the one to spring it.
In the older horse Maiden, Elizabeth Kulbicki's Shalati Princess and Jonathan Tudor's Musique En Tete look best.
