02 February 2009 Report: Vale Of Clettwr - Erw Lon
CHESTNUT ANNIE: jumps the first on the way to winning the Ladies Open
Laugharne resident Lucy Pearce-Rowsell only regained her rider's licence days before the Vale of Clettwr meeting but signalled her return by taking the opening Hunt Members race aboard the Robert Luke trained Seaforde.
Lucy sustained a broken shoulder last season at the Pentyrch meeting and after undergoing an operation in summer, knew she had a fight against time for the licence to be granted if the meeting went ahead on its scheduled date. All credit must go to the Vale of Clettwr team who had the course ready despite the wet winter and had the determination to erect tents in last week's winds! A new paddock layout proved a great success for spectators and those involved with runners.
The Open Maiden race had already been split into two divisions, with the first proving the faster. It saw Carmarthen's Dai Jones back into the winner's enclosure with Divine Delorme, whose trainer Marc Barber had opted to ride stable-mate The Sniper. The six year old mare, which was pushed out by bookmakers from 3-1 to 5's to attract some interest from the crowd, came home comfortably by three lengths after early leader and 5-2 fav Trente Mars, unseated his rider four fences from home.
The second division, jointly sponsored by Evans Bros, one of the Clettwr's longest serving sponsors, again saw the favourite being over-turned. Dai Brace's Ballyprince was sent off at even money, but Josh Harris made sure of a winning racecourse debut for Dannys Last, owned and trained by Robert Williams - father of professional jockey Christian. Maybe racegoers should have taken the hint that it was going to be a ladies day, as it was the second mare to win by the third race, and there were a further two to follow during the afternoon.
Owner Dai Brace and rider Nick Williams had to settle for the runners-up spot again in the Mens Open where their Loch Quest valiantly tried to keep tabs with the odds on winner, Ballycassidy. Winning connections, the Bowen team from Letterson, stated that a visit back to Erw Lon for the Carmarthen Meeting on the 21st of March is on the cards for the winner, before a possible tile at the Aintree Fox Hunters.
Fastest time of the day so often goes to the winner of the Ladies Open and Saturday was to be no exception, Chestnut Annie, ridden by Isobel Thompsett, led from flag fall and galloped her rivals into the ground. Howdydoody and Christine Toy did their best to keep the mare in their sight during the first circuit but could not sustain the pace leaving ‘Annie' to come home by a distance. Owner/Trainer Beth Roberts said ‘today was the plan & we shall probably give her a few more Point-to-Point runs before looking at any Hunter Chases'
Radnor & West Herefordshire qualified mare Banbury Babe, who made a three and a half hour journey to Erw Lon in search of a left handed course, made the trip worthwhile by landing the Restricted race. The cost of the diesel was recouped by the generous odds of 16-1, much to the delight of owner Chris Gittens. Without doubt it was the most competitive race of the day with four in with a shout jumping two out, but Ben Poste drove the winner home by a couple of lengths from Kisha King. Even money favourite Its Danny Boy was back in fourth, but this race will defiantly throw up plenty of future winners.
Another horse needing to race left handed was successful in the last, the Confined Hunts race. Overlut, a past Evan Williams inmate, was heavily backed down into odds-on favouritism and duly obliged under Rhys Hughes, making up earlier losses for the Robert Scrine team. Scrine has 12 horses in his care but rates this one as one of his best. Owner Mr S Whistance is new to Point-to-Pointing, this being his first horse, but he may find himself at the professional courses pretty soon, as the plan is to look for left handed Hunter Chases.
