PENYBONT races is still regarded as the premiere meeting of the season, nicknamed the Wembley of Wales soon after it started in the 1920s it keeps its popularity with competitors and public alike.

The first race on Saturday was the nursery where young horse begin their career and Fold Fearless from the Perks stable at Presteigne looks set to emulate many of his predecessors as he ran a good race to win from another newcomer Millstream Art (Chan, Leicester) while Dernol Lucky Strike (Wozencraft, Llangurig) was third.

The first Novice heat provided Perry Thomas from Pontypridd with another win with his new horse Blue Guns N Roses while Fold Megastar (Bird, Evenjobb) was second and the in-form Ithon Queen (Reynolds, Orleton) was third. In the second heat Lorna Bird from Evenjobb with her own Fold Allstar added to their wins beating Greenhill Lucky (Price, Builth) while the charismatic Sally M (Davies, Orleton) was third.

In the first of the Grade B heats Juicy Wiggle driven by Lee Price for the Weigel family from Llanddewi Velfrey produced a good run in front of consistent Victoria Penlan (Thomas, Pontypridd) with Beg For Mercy (Tromans, Newcastle Emlyn) third. The second Grade B heat provided a popular win for Ayr Major and Shane Eggerton from Norton Canon, one of a family who have supported trotting for generations, in second place was Ellavafella (Bevan, Llanddewi) while Carrie on Fred (Middleton, Llandrindod) came third.

After an accident in the Grade A the forced re-run gave Ontop Shouda Cuda with Elin Bevan from Llanddewi driving her family’s horse a restigious win, while the veteran Lakeside Pan proved he still enjoys the sport and came in second.

The first Baby Novice race provided a popular win for Fran Morgan from Knighton driving her own Carrie on Doon beating Brywins Saturn (Rowlands, Nantmel) into second with Ayr Zac (Boxhall, Brecon) in third. Evenwood Itchyfeet partnered by his local owner Gareth Mills from Llanddewi, this week won the second Baby Novice impressively, with Dernol Jacky (Beddoes, Llanbister) in second and Fold Take Flight (Miles, Merthyr) was in third.

In the Dash the well named Best in Flight driven by Dai Arrowsmith for the Holyoak stables lived up to her name winning convincingly from Beg For Mercy (Tromans, Newcastle Emlyn) and Ceiron Spirit (Bevan, Builth Wells).

There were only two entries in the saddle representing families that have been connected to local trotting for many years. It was Ceri Bevan, from Llanddewi riding aunt Jayne’s Ontop Shouda Cuda who prevailed but Lawless with Martha Duggan from Howey was not far behind.

In the Novice final it was the heat winner Blue Guns N Roses with Perry Thomas from Pontypridd aboard who claimed victory, so ensuring their promotion into open racing. Close behind in second was the other heat winner Fold Allstar (Perks, Presteigne), while Ithon Queen (Reynolds, Orleton) ran on well in third.

The Grade B final was the next race with again the two heat winners battling it out for supremacy, it was the Herefordshire horse Ayr Major and Shane Eggerton who appropriately won the Eggerton Memorial Cup, from Juicy Wiggle (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) while Victoria Penlan (Thomas, Pontypridd) was third.

The last race of the day was the traditional mile and a half race, this a race which was on the card in the first Penybont fixture in 1921 and continues to be a feature of the day. The winner this year was the well respected Zulu Warrior owned, trained and driven by Mathew Tromans from Newcastle Emlyn,S in second place was the Midlands based Easy Connection owned by Dan Millard from Stourbridge while Begwyns Trust (Lloyd, Painscastle) was third.

So after the drama of Penybont next week racing is at Talsarn in Ceredigion on Saturday August 3rd, starting at 1.30pm.