THE racing this week was at the New Radnor track, which is beautifully situated between the Radnorshire hills. The tight track provided some really good racing with several close finishes and one dead heat.

The first races of the day were the Novice heats, in the first the local horse Matisse owned by Austin Hughes from New Radnor, claimed victory for his trainer David Arrowsmith, in second was the ever reliable Brywins Saturn (Tomkins, Clyro) while Sonny Camden (Millard, Stourbridge) was third. The second race saw a dead heat as Begwyns Trust (Lloyd, Painscastle) and Matteuceous (Gale, Gorslas) could not be separated as they sped over the line, in third place was Glenfield Thomas (Billington, Leicester).

Carrie on Fred driven by Mathew Tromans for Liam Middleton from Llandrindod won the first Grade B heat from Lucifer (Robin Lloyd, Painscastle) while Oakwood Ideal (Bowen, Llanbister) was third. Full Closure driven by Steve Williams for Jayne Bevan from Llanddewi won the second B heat with Evenwood Itchyfeet (Mills, Llanddewi) in second and Red Cash (Sargeant, Newbridge) in third.

In the Grade A Maddy Davies back driving her grandmother’s Wye Doon (Hawkes, Orleton) set out to dictate the race from the front, and despite the efforts of all the other competitors she came home in front, with Zulu Warrior (Tromans, Newcastle Emlyn) in second and Archie Camden (Gale, Gorslas) in third.

The Baby Novice was the next race on the card. In the middle of the season Beach Boy seemed to lose his form, but he has improved in the last few weeks and this week he produced a really good run to claim first prize for his owner William Collard from Nantmel, driven as usual by Ben Flanagan, in second place was Landafew (Rowlands, Nantmel) while last week’s winner Money Talks (Keith Young, Newent) was third. Beach Boy now moves up into the Novice section.

After the break the non whip provided young Maddy Davies with another win driving Amanda Hawkes’ Wye Doon with Mahogany Caio (Oli Jones, Cribyn) in second and Zulu Warrior with Ellie Tromans, from Newcastle Emlyn in third.

In the Novice Final Glenfield Thomas partnered by Mathew Tromans for owner Gary Billington from Leicester came home in front, so securing his ticket into open racing. In second was local horse Matisse (Hughes, New Radnor) while Sonny Camden (Millard, Stourbridge) was third.

In the non winners race the lightly raced Archie Camden driven by trainer David Arrowsmith was first passed the post, giving Dai a treble of wins on the day, in second was Slingshot (Greenway, Michaelchurch Eskley) while Isolation (Collingwood, Huntington) was third.

The final race of the day was the Grade B Final and it proved another exciting battle, with Lucifer driven by Perry Thomas for Robin Lloyd from Painscastle claiming a memorable victory to qualify him for Grade A status, in second was Full Closure (Bevan, Llanddewi) while Evenwood Itchyfeet (Mills, Llanddewi) was third.

So at the end of a lovely day’s racing in a beautiful setting, the season moves on to the final all-weather meeting with the staging of the prestigious STAGBI Future Broodmare’s race at Amman Valley on Saturday 12th starting at 1.30pm.