REPORT – Wales Area Club – Sunday 9th November

 Before racing could resume at Lower Machen there was an important tradition to observe. The field fell silent as at eleven a.m. the sound of a horn called for a minute’s silence. It is a testament to the respect of racegoers that the racetrack was completely silent at that time and racing and point to pointing in general should be proud that they have such people in their numbers. 

  One hour later and the atmosphere was completely different as the first race of the new season got under way with nine runners looking set to contest the Restricted contest. Jake Exelby is more usually found on a Point-to-Point course with notebook in hand reporting on the events of the day. On this occasion he was fulfilling his role as an owner and his and Alan Hills Jongleur d’Alnay ran out an impressive seventeen length winner of this division. The six-year-old son of Great Pretender was rewarding the patience of his owners as he suffered a setback last season following his victory at Wadebridge. Having made the journey to the Chipley Park meeting, which was then abandoned, he sustained a minor injury at home and was sidelined for the rest of the season. This is his second win from only three starts and there looks to be plenty more to come for the gelding. The locally bred Myfanwy followed him home with Sutton’s Hill back in third.

 The win was also the first leg of a double for Izzie Hill who then steered another Alan Hill charge Amron’s Sage to take the notable prize pot of one thousand pounds in the  Ladies Contest. The trainer sang the praises of the track following his double, having always failed to make the journey to the course in person when racing was last held there. The Sageburg gelding was described as “not the easiest to train” but also a horse who loved the rain softened ground and relished a course that allowed him to use his best abilities which are to jump and stay. This was the eight-year-olds second win from six starts and the four-mile contests will be his target for the coming year. Amron’s Sage held off the challenge of David Brace’s Gats and Co by three quarters of a length with Williewonga back in third.

 The GB Pointing Bonus Young Horse maiden Series for 4 & 5-year-olds went the way of James King and Baron de Brizais. The four year old was making his first racecourse appearance and scored by six lengths from Docket Man. Owner Paige Topley had discharged herself from hospital for the day having been admitted to try and resolve a mystery kidney problem and joked that she had to be back on the ward by five pm following her  journey to the course. Her efforts were rewarded, and the Nirvana Du Berlais gelding will now probably be sold, with potential buyers already waiting in the sidelines to finalise the purchase,

The other one-thousand-pound winner’s prize, for the Men’s Open Contest, went to Joe O’Shea’s Court Cave gelding St Cuthbert’s Cave who was making his first start between the flags and put up an impressive performance under Huw Edwards. The former inmate of the Gordon Elliott yard looks to have a bright future between the flags and doubtless Hunter Chases are his eventual target. Illico de Cotte and Will Biddick chased them home in second. Local cheers were plenty for young Dewi Haddock having his first ever ride in a point to point and staying on through the rain and mud to secure fourth place and a spot in the paddock.

 Chris Barber took the spoils in the next contest the Maiden NWFAA contest with Western Monkey steered by Ed Doggerell. Western Monkey defeated the challenge of Another Notion and Ed Vaughan by six lengths. Chris claims that the horse is still the unfinished article and has been given plenty of time by his owner breeder; but his introduction between the flags was only an introduction to racing in general as he will now go into training to race under rules.

 The day closed with the Point-to-Point Bumper and saw Carys Morris steer her mother’s Katy Price’s Call Me Ken to victory. Call Me Ken had been wound up in the paddock and had planted Carys on the floor necessitating a check over from the doctor before she could take part. Call Me Ken enjoyed the softer ground but was described by his jockey as “not the easiest” having taken a while to break in and accept the whole idea of being ridden.

 All winning connections were treated to a glass of champagne by the GB Pointing team who were also recording and broadcasting interviews with winning owners and trainers; once the win was celebrated all connections had access to the new owners, trainers and sponsors pavilion where hot food was on offer along with a well-stocked bar and plenty of hot drinks. The view from this new feature is the best vantage point on the course giving a clear vista of the whole circuit and was a welcome respite from the weather which declined rapidly in the latter stages of the day.

 Landowner Dai Walters was in attendance to see how the day was progressing and the efforts he and his team have put into the course cannot be underestimated. The same has to be said for the band of enthusiasts who have made sure that the event has happened and who will already be working towards the next meeting scheduled for April, when hopefully the Welsh Weather Gods will provide them with some sunshine and another well attended and successful days sport.