No joy for local trainers at Chepstow’s Ladies’ Evening meeting on Friday, but it did not pass without a Welsh winner as King Of The Dance (photographed) landed the apprentice handicap for Bernard Llewellyn. Trained in Bargoed by Llewellyn, who also owns him, the gelding had been in consistent form, but had not won since March. He did so in the hands of Shay Farmer, who was having his first ride for the trainer.
There were also thirds at Chepstow for Robert Stephens and Christopher Mason, who train not far from the track, while their nearby counterpart Grace Harris had a second, but went one better when Baikal scored at Stratford on Sunday, where Evan Williams also struck with Backinaction.
Chepstow’s feature race, a Class 4 7f handicap, went the way of Brave Byreflection, making the long trip from Newmarket worthwhile for her trainer Alice Haynes and jockey Kieran O’Neill.
Mason had more to smile about at Ascot on Saturday when Glamorous Breeze, probably the best horse in his yard, emerged with credit in a valuable 5f heritage handicap at Ascot. Worth £100,000, the race was won by Alzahir, but Glamorous Breeze, successful at Chepstow in May, was beaten only a length, finishing fifth.
At Ascot 24 hours earlier, Monmouthshire’s Thomas Faulkner had reason to be pleased with Northcliff, his only runner of the week who defied odds of 16-1 to claim third in a competitive 6f handicap.
The royal racecourse was also the scene for a fruitful two afternoons for David Probert, who is now based in Berkshire but was born in Bargoed. After winning on Sayidah Hard Spun on Friday, the 36-year-old bagged a brace on Saturday, which included victory on Never So Brave in the Group 2 Cornish Orchards Summer Mile Stakes.
On the mark at Royal Ascot under Oisin Murphy, the Andrew Balding-trained Never So Brave was taking a step up in grade but kept on well to secure the biggest win of his flourishing career in a contest that boasted prize money of £140,000.
Mount Atlas was the other winner on Saturday for Probert, who was on the sidelines at the start of the month through suspension, but has not taken long to get back in the groove. As well as his Ascot haul, he had three winners at Ffos Las on Wednesday. Among them was Cogital, an old favourite at the aforementioned Llewellyn’s operation.
Champion jumps jockey Sean Bowen was, unsurprisingly, to the fore too. He rode his 50th winner of the campaign at Worcester on Monday on Stumps Or Slips and two more came his way a day later at Uttoxeter, followed by another brace at Perth on Sunday.
Worcester’s meeting also resulted in doubles for jockey Jack Tudor and trainer Christian Williams, while the Carmarthenshire-based Debra Hamer saddled just her second winner
since November.
Our next fixture at Chepstow is this Thursday and is due to start at 2.10pm
