RACING this week was hosted by the enthusiastic Ludlow committee and the meeting was a great success as they returned to their original venue near Bitterley.

A picturesque course with an uphill back straight which sorted the super fit from the ordinary.

The nursery race was won by the ever improving Pegasus Dream (Meaney, Merthyr) with Oakwood Rocket (Layton, Brecon) and Hyar Friction (Thomas, Tregroes) both running well in second and third.

In the first novice heat The Chancer (Hitchcock & Jones, Haverfordwest) this week driven by Ollie Jones from Evenjobb claimed a win from Immortal Breeze (Williams, Llanafan) while Lady Lisleen (Jones & Harris, Merthyr) was third. Turn the Paige (Miles, Merthyr) with her usual pilot Janet Thomas took the second Novice heat with the much improved Danny Blue (Peters, Upper Longwood) in second and Hurricane Howard (Duggan, Llangunllo) in third.The third Novice heat gave a predictable win for Ook whos Coming with owner Mark Evans from Brecon in the seat while Howdoyoulikemenow (Perks, Presteigne) was second and Beg for Mercy (Tromans, Newcastle Emlyn) was third.

Straight races were the order of the day for both the Bs and As. In the first Grade B race Cool Ice the classy mare belonging to the Gething family from Ewyas Harold and driven by trainer Derek Pritchard produced a typical classic run to claim first prize from the ideologically named Makemeamillionayr (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) while Lakeview Meg (Atherton-Rees, Narberth) was third. Meadowland Maverick driven by his young owner Oliver Jones from Evenjobb claimed victory in the second Grade B ahead of Enter the Dragon (Harrison, Onibury) with Ayr Ontario (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) in third.

Second Affair (Thomas, Rhymney)took his place for the first time in the Grade A where he showed his class with usual driver Mark Evans at the controls, in second was Rhyds Design (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) while Ontop Mcardle (Meredith, Treharris) came home third. Habberley Playboy driven by trainer Mathew Tromans and belonging to the Gittins & Johns partnership from Shrewsbury, ran a cracking race at the head of affairs to win the second Grade A from a fast finishing Woodstone Jingo (Meaney & Harris, Merthyr) while third place was taken by Fold the Notes (Perks, Presteigne).

Hyar Truly the homebred mare belonging to the Thomas family from Tregroes and driven by Janet Thomas took the first Baby Novice race ahead of the favourite Ithon Legacy (Hardwick, Llanbister) with Hilltop Recon (Lloyd, new Radnor) picking up third. On her first appearance this year Afanbellsprincess with her owner Oliver Jones from Cribyn sprinted for home in the second Baby Novice in front of the fast finishing C U Maggie (Bevan, Llanddewi) while Dernol Yankee (Wozencraft, Llangurig) was third this another of the blanket finishes of the day.

The Novice final was the next race on the card when the back marker Immortal Breeze encouraged by her driver Janet Thomas swept passed the post in front to the obvious delight of owner and long time racing enthusiast Helen Williams from Llanafan, thus this talented mare progresses to the open classes. In second was Ook whos Coming (Evans, Brecon) while Beg for Mercy (Tromans, Newcastle Emlyn) was third.

Eight entries in the saddle race provided a wonderful sight and much vocal encouragement from the crowd with the long time leader Ayr Ontario (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) ridden by Martin Roberts just pipped on the post by the accelerating Habberley Haste (Lloyd, New Radnor) with Frances Morgan on board, who snatched victory, in third place was Evenwood Thumps Up and owner Kate Lewis from Llanbister.

Although there were only two entries in the Junior race it was still an interesting duel but the experience of Habberly Playboy (Gittins, Johns, Shrewsbury) paid off for jockey Ellie Tromans while Izzy John on the Duggan family Hurricane Howard kept up the pressure throughout the race.

The consolation race was well named as Martin Roberts from Dinmore on his own Talavary Activator made up for their poor showing in an earlier race by racing to the front and kept the Activator up to his work to claim victory despite the efforts of the talented Tillies Laag (Evans, Brecon) who had to settle for second with Tyssul Pennylane (Broome, Bromfield) in third.

The last race of the day was the Free For All in which Saunders Mach 3 claimed his first race win in adult races as Mark Bevan from Llanddewi notched up a popular win ahead of the fast finishing Woodstone Jingo (Meaney & Harris, Merthyr) while Ontop Mcardle (Meredith, Treharris) was third.

So after a glorious day’s racing in total sunshine, next week we travel west to the Aberystwyth meeting on the edge of Cardigan bay on Saturday, July 21 starting at 1pm.