Lysdtep is definitely the course to choose if you are a young rider looking for his first win. Young Henry Pugh, whose father Will is a familiar figure in Welsh Point to Points, has been enjoying his first season as a jockey with his Killaro Boy. Killaro Boy is trained at home by Will, so Henry spends plenty of time in the saddle. Last weekend saw him claim his first victory in the Mixed Open for Novice Riders. This was no mean feat for a youngster as he had more experienced riders pursuing him; he was chased home by Frisco Bay with Coquin Mans back in third. Both were from the Luke Price Stable.
The day had kicked off at 2 p.m. with the conditions race. Hitdroadjack has scored at the Curre meeting earlier this year and having made the short journey to the Lydstep track and came home to record another victory under James King. Young Henry Pugh was back in second aboard the Tim Vaughan owned Clemencia who started odds on favourite. Dr Des followed them home in third.
Debacle had been a very popular winner at the Curre meeting for Mark Robinson and the likeable, albeit adopted Welshman was back in the winner’s enclosure aboard the Bach gelding in the Restricted contest. Debacle, like Killaro Boy, is an echo of Point to Pointing in days that sometimes seem long past. Owner trainers who fit in the riding out and galloping around work commitments and have only a couple of horses in their care and send out an enthusiastic Amateur to ride them. These are the true Corinthians of the sport, and we need to welcome them with open arms and celebrate their success. Debacle was followed home by Frankly Fine and James King the odds-on favourite. Having made the journey to West Wales the book of rides James had lined up would have left him feeling confident of having at least a treble on the day. The beauty of racing is that no one tells the horse this and they race to their own agenda.
Voodoo Doll has been a faithful servant to the daughters of Evan Williams and the Getaway gelding responded to the call once again with a victory in the Ladies Open for Ellie Williams. Tia Hopkins followed them home on her families Minella Encore recording his second win between the flags from four starts.
The Men’s Open allowed James King to complete at least one victory on the day on Luke Price’s useful Captain Mc the odds-on favourite. Staple Head and Mark Robinson followed them home. James is once more travelling the length and breadth of the country in his quest for the Jockeys’ Title.
Before the late and much missed Asockastar came into the lives of Daniel Bourne and his family they were not present on the Point-to-Point scene, now they are very much a part of the Welsh racing family, and it is always good to see them in the winner’s enclosure. This time it was with the home trained Inca Rose who had completed in third at this track previously. The delight that Dan shows when he has a successful runner is a pleasure to see, nothing is ever taken for granted. Sparta Maestro and Dan Ellis were chasing them home in second with Oh Mo Shrone and James King in Third.
The weather was not too clement on the day as has been the case for most of Wales recently but congratulations must go to the organisers for managing to run a meeting when so many have fallen by the wayside.