Tregaron Trotting Club kicked off the 2017 grass season with an 11 race card on Sunday 14th May.
Amongst the programme was the Senior Welsh Dragon, the first group one race to be staged on the UK. The group race initiative was put forward by the master of the microphone Darren Owen to follow in the footsteps of our international counterparts.
The race certainly did not disappoint. 2016 BHRC horse of the year Miraculous made his first ever trip to Tregaron and was sent off the market leader, but it was Party At The Spa in the hands of Alan Haythornthwaite who held off all the challengers to take the spoils.
The performance on Sunday sparked memories of Sportstrick who won the same race in a similar fashion for the same connections in 2016. Like so many races the draw played a vital part and it was from the first turn that Alan and the son of Dragon Again gained the advantage.
Both Lakeside Bono (drawn 2) and Party At The Spa (drawn 3) left hard out of the gate to gain advantageous positions on the rail leaving Miraculous (drawn 6) further back than he may have expected. Miraculous put in a gallant effort in defeat and the run provided him with some grass racing experience, having only raced on the surface twice before the event.
The most thrilling finish of the day came in the Preferred Free For All. The small field of five started off at a blistering pace with Stamp Hill leading early. The only mare in the race, Shades Of Grey, bit the bullet with a lap to go and sat in the death seat on the outside of the leader. Fool Around tucked in behind the pair also looked in contention but it was the fast finishing Coalford Tetrick who swooped the field to grab victory.
This bargain purchase certainly has been a horse of a lifetime for connections and he will now go to Tir Prince next Saturday night to attempt to break the UK mile and a half record.
The Spring Handicap final went the way of Llwyns Delight and Lee Price. The five year old son of Share The Delight seems to be improving with age and he now heads to Appleby to try and emulate the success of his half brother Bon Jasper in the handicap final.
Laneside Lotus put in two good performances for her new owners finishing a close second to Llwyns Delight in both the heat and final. Third went to the consistent Woodstone Jingo in the hands of Julie Phillips.
Others winners on the day were Rhyds Passion (Patrick Kane Jnr), My Buddy (Alan Jones), No Joking (William Laidler), Im Immpartial Too (Joel Richards), Jack Swagger (William Laidler), Blytheview Peterpan (Jaimie Davies) and Lakeside Paddy (David Bevan).
by Kayleigh Evans