Glamorgan_Review

Thousands of racegoers flocked to Ystradowen for the rearranged Glamorgan Hunt Point-To-Point and the crowd was one that Chepstow Races, held on the same day, would have died for! The added attraction of the televising of the Grand National was another good reason to keep punters at home and although they say rearranged meetings are never the same one couldn't have said that about this meeting.

The Ystradowen course, in the words of popular racecourse commentator Edward Williams," is unique''. Not everyone's favourite cup of tea to be sure but apart from the revived hunt race the fields were decent throughout the rest of the afternoon and according to hat-trick king John Mathias, or 'The Mighty Mathias' as Edward Williams has dubbed him the going was "perfect.''

Tom David, Luke Price and John Mathias won the six races between them each coming away with a double. In the three-horse members' race,Tom David riding Brett Lloyd's 12 year-old-ex winning chaser Roznic finished some twenty lengths ahead of his younger brother Evan on Phairy Storm. Mr Nemo, ridden by Paul Sheard, the early leader was pulled up four fences from home.

Back in 1984, Tom and Evan's mother then Carol Thomas, riding her grandfather's Cottage Chest, beat her brother John who was riding Chastity Belt in this race. Evan and Tom's grandfather,Carol's father, Jim Thomas won it on Mr Worth when the races were held at Llanmaes in 1963.

The young horse maiden race was won by Luke Price's HesIvorThe Driver who came home twelve lengths ahead of Cranemore. The French bred Qomix, backed from 4-1 to 4-5 favourite, trailed in last of the five finishers under John Mathais. Luke, 20, from Pontypridd,who paid just £820 for HesIvorTheDriver, was back in the winners' enclosure forty minutes or so later after his eight-year-old French Furze Lad had run out an eight lengths winner of the aged maiden.The long odds on favourite Kimi was pulled up.

Luke who is expanding his Pontypridd yard is looking for more owners and he can be contacted on 07776007083.

In the PPORA Club Members' race, Get Off The Table, partnered by John Mathias, and Victor Merlyn, ridden by Robert Llewellyn, jumped the last almost together but it was the former which snatched victory by half-a-length. Liberty Rock the favourite was pulled up.

Five runners went to post for the mixed open and all five were ridden by male riders. David Evans's eight -year-old bay mare Makena, ridden by John Mathias, jumped the last ahead of Silver Story to win by three lengths.

Jodie Pearn's FloridaHall, a six-year-old bay gelding by Saddler's Hall , romped home a ten lengths winner from Red Watch in the restricted. Mrs Pearn from Peterston-Super-Ely in the Vale of Glamorgan bought the horse at the Doncaster Sales last August.