THE Aberystwyth race meeting is always a popular event on the Mid Wales circuit and this year was no exception.

The early morning rain was blown away by the breeze off the Cardigan Bay, while the racing provided a full afternoon of excitement.

The two Nursery races were won by two impressive youngsters, Kentucky Roam (Perks, Presteigne) took the first while Ithon Nipper (Lewis, Welshpool) looks set to enhance that stable’s considerable reputation.

In the first heat of the Novice Fronfelin Duchess (Hawkes, Llanddewi) continues to improve under the guidance of her trainer Ollie Preece from Gladestry to win from Meadowland Olympic who has changed stables since last weeks win, now owned by the Jones family from Llanllwni while in third My Amazing Grace (Evans, Red Roses) ran on well. Ook whos coming with his owner Mark Evans from Brecon at the controls continued to enhance his reputation with a win, in front of Tyssul Pennylane who despite a breakdown on the way to the races, ran well for the Broome family from Bromfield with Hurricane Howard (Duggan, Llangunllo) taking third.

It was a dead heat for first place in the first heat of the Grade B as the fast finishing Hyar Temptation with owner Janet Thomas from Llandysul on board had to share the spoils from last week’s winner The Bold Jack and his young owner driver Jonny James from Dorstone Fold the Notes (Perks, Presteigne) ran on to claim third. Tillies Larg another talented horse from the Evans stable in Brecon piloted as usual by Mark Evans took the second heat of the Grade B from another ‘young star’ George Gentle with his owner Zak Lewis from Welshpool while Tyssul Pearl (Thomas Llanbister) ran another good race to be third.

Ithon Inmate (Price, Brecon) with trainer Derek Pritchard on board is always a great crowd pleaser and he swept up the home straight to claim the first Grade A heat in front of the improving Zestthewayilikeit (Jones, Evenjobb) while last week’s winner Habberley Playboy (Gittins & John, Shrewsbury) was third. Ayr Hero bought in the off season by the Bevan family from Llanddewi after a few weeks of preparation races, this week took on the premiere grade and with Mel Langford at the controls he showed he was well up to the task, beating Chinatown Kolt (Jones Llanllwni) into second with Infinatey (Gwatkin Evenjobb) in third.

There were three Baby Novice races this week in the first Greenhill Lilian (Thomas, Rhymney) romped home with Mark Evans in the seat, while last week’s winner Hilltop Recon (Lloyd, New Radnor) was second with Jets Girl (Langford, Onibury) in third. Kentucky Roam (Perks Presteigne) just graduated from the Nursery gave Rebecca Williams another win in the second Baby Novice beating Cool Ice (Gething Ewyas Harold) while Ayr Fella (Lloyd, Painscastle) ran on well to be third. Immortal Storm (Meaney, Merthyr) and partnered by Mel Langford took the last Baby Novice race in fine style from Rhyds Panalulah (Gething, Ewyas Harold) with Universal Soldier (Powell, Merthyr Cynog) in third.

The dash gave Mel Langford her third win of the afternoon when she partnered the speedy Evenwood Thumps Up (Lewis, Llanbister) to a fine win in front of Ayr Ontario (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) and Beacon Spellbound (Davies, Huntington).

Jayne Bevan the specialist saddle jockey for several years took the saddle race with No Mercy (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) from Forest Gump (Duggan, Llangunllo).

In the junior race Ellie Tromans driving Makemeamillionayr (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) claimed first prize from Jess Samuel driving her family’s Camden Lock while Rachel Bevan-Thomas and Wellfield Wally was third.

In the Novice final Rebecca Williams picked up a catch drive on Hurricane Howard (Duggan, Llangunllo) and just claimed the decision from Ook whose coming (Evans, Brecon) while Lanehouse Patch (Thomas, Merthyr) was third.

In the grade B final last week’s winner The Bold Jack with his young owner Jonny James from Dorstone, at the helm continued in winning ways from the impressive Tillies Larg (Evans Brecon) while Tyssul Pearl (Thomas, Llanbister) ran well in third.

Ayr Hero the new grey belonging to the Bevan family from Llanddewi added the Grade A final to his heat win, driven by the in form Mel Langford, in second was Zestthewayilikeit (Jones, Evenjobb) while Chinatown Kolt (Jones Llanllwni) was third.

The final race of the day was the consolation where Mel Langford claimed her fifth winner of the day on Chinatown Samuel (Moorhouse, Llandinam) with Turn the Paige and owner Paul Miles from Merthyr was second and Dernol Duke (Morgan, Knuclas) was third.

Nursery-race 1: 1 Kentucky Roam (Rebecca Williams) owned & trained Perks Presteigne 2 Brywins Awesome 3 Ithon Overdrive Time: 2:16.03

Nursery-race 2: 1 Ithon Nipper (Zak Lewis) owned & trained Lewis Welshpool 2 Garth Vader 3 Beacon Sorcerer Time: 2:14.69

Novice-heat 1: 1 Fronfelin Duchess (Ollie Preece) owned Hawkes, Llanddewi trained Jones Evenjobb 2 Meadowland Olympic 3 My Amazing Grace Time: 2:16.44

Novice-heat 2: 1 Ook whos coming (Mark Evans) owned & trained Evans Brecon 2 Tyssul Pennylane 3 Hurricane Howard Time: 2:14.40

Grade B-heat 1: Joint 1 Hyar Temptation (Janet Thomas) owned & trained Thomas Llandysul 1 The Bold Jack (Jonny James) owned & trained James Dorstone 3 Fold the Notes Time: 2:14.31

Grade B-heat 2: 1 Tillies Larg (Mark Evans) owned & trained Evans Brecon 2 George Gentle 3 Tyssul Pearl Time: 2:13.07

Grade A - heat 1: 1 Ithon Inmate (Derek Pritchard) owned Price Brecon trained Pritchard Rhosgoch 2 Zestthewayilikeit 3 Habberley Playboy Time: 2:12.62

Grade A - heat 2: 1 Ayr Hero (Mel Langford) owned & trained Bevan Llanddewi 2 Chinatown Kolt 3 Infinatey Time: 2:12.88

Baby Novice - race 1:

1 Greenhill Lilian (Mark Evans) owned & trained Thomas Rhymney 2 Hilltop Recon 3 Jets Girl Time: 2:13.53

Baby Novice – race 2

1 Kentucky Roam (Rebecca Williams) owned & trained Perks Presteigne 2 Cool Ice 3 Ayr Fella Time: 2:16.90

Baby Novice - race 3: 1 Immortal Storm (Mel Langford) owned & trained Meaney Merthyr 2 Rhyds Panalulah 3 Universal Soldier Time: 2:14.56

Dash: 1 Evenwood Thumps Up (Mel Langford) owned & trained Lewis Llanbister 2 Ayr Ontario 3 Beacon Spellbound Time: 1:37.22

Saddle: 1 No Mercy (Jayne Bevan) owned & trained Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey 2 Forest Gump Time: 2:18.46

Junior: 1 Makemeamillionayr (Ellie Tromans) owned & trained Weigel Llanddewi Velfrey 2 Camden Lock (Jess Samuel) 3 Wellfield Wally (Rachel Bevan-Thomas) Time: 2:15.22

Novice Final: 1 Hurricane Howard (Rebecca Williams) owned & trained Duggan Llangunllo 2 Ook whose coming 3 Lanehouse Patch Time: 2:16.41

Grade B Final: 1 The Bold Jack (Jonny James) owned & trained James Dorstone 2 Tillies Larg 3 Tyssul Pearl Time: 2:10.31

Grade A Final: 1 Ayr Hero (Mel Langford) owned & trained Bevan Llanddewi 2 Zestthewayilikeit 3 Chinatown Kolt Time: 2:10.69

Consolation: 1 Chinatown Samuel (Mel Langford) owned & trained Moorhouse 2 Turn the Paige 3 Dernol Duke Time: 2:16.09