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BACK WITH A BANG: Nick Williams and Bob Bites Back return victorious in the Mens Open following a fall last time out
photo: Alun Sedgmore

The Tredegar Farmers meeting saw fifty-six runners face starter Nick Tamplin at picturesque Lower Machen on Sunday, where the course had been well watered throughout the week. Riders described the going as good, with one or two even saying it was too soft for their horses- a rare occurrence of late.

Favourite backers got off to a good start when Michael McMahon's seven-year-old bay mare Princess De Rome, partnered by Nick Williams, came home eight lengths ahead of One To Note and Marc Barber in the Members race.

The Restricted was a much closer affair with Roger Willcox's nine-year-old bay gelding Ace High Blue scoring by half a length from Backstreet Lad after jumping the last just in front. The odds-on favourite Beyond Dreams, ridden by Richard Woollacott, tired during the closing stages after leading for most of the trip and was pulled up. Ace High Blue's rider Josh Harris, 23, rides out for Vale of Glamorgan trainer Evan Williams.

Bradley Gibbs, who had celebrated his 17th birthday four days earlier, won the Confined on Cinaman, a seven-year-old bay gelding trained by his father David, who bought the horse for him. Like the runner-up Brinkmanship, Cinaman used to be trained by Tim Vaughan. Brinkmanship, now trained by Vaughan's wife Abbi, jumped the last alongside Cinaman before being beaten by two lengths. Tim Vaughan, who had just returned from Punchestown after seeing his Spirit Of Adjisa land the Champion Novice Hurdle, joked: "I'm pleased for Bradley but I would have been more pleased if Abbi's horse had won.'' Gibbs Jnr and Snr both work for Tim Vaughan.

Hunt-racing stalwart Edna Hussey,92, was delighted when her Bob Bites Back won the Mens Open finishing one and a quarter lengths ahead of 40-1 outsider Cottage River and Paul Tolman. The pair had jumped the last almost together but Nick Williams ensured his mount won the race down the run-in to take first place. Bob Bites Back could next run the Stratford Foxhunters Champion Hunters' Chase for the Horse & Hound Cup. Unfortunately Stoneriggs Merc, who was going for a three-timer, was brought down when Manor Park fell at the second.

Another horse which could be Stratford bound is Baren De Doc who, under Lucy Pearce Rowsell, won for the third time on the bounce in the Ladies Open race. Jumping the last in front, the Charlotte Owen-trained eight-year-old gelding won by four lengths from City Breeze.

The 2m4f Maiden race went to Mark Jackson's six-year-old bay gelding SamTheMan, who made every post a winning one and had ten lengths to spare over Shwetzer and Nathan Deakin. This was Mark's only ride at the meeting and he has been successful on his only two other visits to the course. Mark said: "My late father Joe Jackson's ambition was to own, breed, train and ride a winner, and now I have fulfilled that ambition for him.''

In the Open Maiden, the Charlotte Owen-trained John Clayton, ridden by Mathew Barber, 19, proved too speedy for Clongeen Allstar, partnered by Mathew's older brother Marc. A former inmate of Rebecca Curtis's yard and bought locally from Grant Lewis, John Clayton scored by four lengths.

Mollyann Rees, 10, a member of the Glamorgan Hunt Pony Club, won the six furlong pony race on her 12-year-old mare Mon Mellissa, whilst Jordan Williams, 12, was successful in the nine furlong pony race on his mother Beth's eleven-year-old mare Tommy's Girl.

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