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LADY MYFANWY: Pipped to the post by Oca De Thaix and Chesnut Annie in the Ladies Open
photo: Alun Sedgmore

Chesnut Annie and Lady Myfanwy have won 49 Point-to-Points between them, and were expected to fight out the finish in what was surely Wales's most eagerly-awaited clash of the campaign. Both, though, were completely upstaged by their sole rival in the AGA Ladies' Open, Oca de Thaix, who gave a splendid display of jumping when making virtually all in the hands of Charlotte Evans and in the process booking his place in the Cheltenham final.

It was an initial success between the flags for Charlotte, 18, and also her first Point-to-Point ride of the season. Formerly owned by Charlotte, Oca de Thaix now belongs to Keith Goldsworthy, for whom she works full time. The nine-year-old obviously enjoyed being re-united with his regular pilot, who had partnered him to three Hunter Chase victories earlier in the year but who missed out on the ride at Chepstow after failing to take note of the conditions for the Dunraven Bowl, which required the riders to have competed between the flags during the season.

Oca de Thaix is normally held up well off the pace but the change of tactics worked a treat. "Stamina is his game, so the plan was to lay it down to them," smiled Keith, adding "Cheltenham, here we come!"

"He's quite sparky and takes a grip," was Keith's description of his charge. "Jake Greenall rode him in a piece of work ten days ago, and when he got off he commented ‘He doesn't leave you alone, does he?'"

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Lady Myfanwy's connections, Paul and Myfanwy Miles, gained recompense in the Men's Open, the Welsh Grand National, when their Findlay's Find, despite some less than fluent jumping, came home a distance clear of his rivals under Nick Williams. It was a fourth successive victory for the five-year-old, whose target now is the Connolly's Red Mills final at Cheltenham on May 4. He has been kept ticking over since last week's outing at Ystradowen by "hacking round the forestry," said Paul.

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"This race always used to be run over four miles, but in these times of recession it's been three-and-a-half for the past few years." Commentator Eddie Williams is never short of a topical remark.

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Nick completed a double by taking the Restricted on Gwynne Phillips's home-bred Books Review. "He finished second in a Bumper but he had a bit of trouble so Gwynne sent him to us, as he lives quite near," explained trainer Shan Farr. "We hope he'll get a bit further in time," she added.

Gwynne lost Books Review's dam In A Whirl last year, but has retained a two-year-old by Overbury. Her only other offspring of note was Book's Way, successful over hurdles for David Thompson.

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"It's lucky I pulled out yesterday or there might have been a fight!" Tudor Harris, owner of non-runner Kingaroy Lass, points out to Gwynne that it could have been pistols at dawn to decide which of them would have managed to bag Nick Williams for the ride.

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Tudor, the Bonvilston landowner, and his fellow clerk of the course Phil Dando had done an excellent job of preparing the track, which was level, well-grassed and had been evenly watered. The fixture attracted 44 runners, the second largest total of the day and more than twice the number at several meetings.

Phil, who had saddled his Countess Susy to score at Hereford three days previously, gained his reward when his home-bred Spring Haze, trained by his daughter Becky, won an incident-packed Maiden under Evan David, who was put in for the ride by his elder brother Tom. "Tom was committed to Johncan [owned by his employer Tim Vaughan] so he suggested Evan, and he's given her a cracking ride," said Becky.

Evan did well to keep his reluctant-looking mount going when she was left in the lead by the departure at the final ditch of Gouranga Society, a far from ideal situation, as she hates racing in front, said her trainer.

The "Haze" dynasty continues, as Spring Haze's dam Gypsy Haze is due to foal to Dr Massini, and four more of her offspring are waiting in the wings, including a five-year-old by Tumbleweed Ridge who may run on the flat.

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"He must have been a gymnast. He did three somersaults, landed on his feet and then did three forward rolls." Phil admires the landing technique of Paul Sheard, who was unceremoniously fired from the saddle by Gouranga Society.

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Spring Haze's triumph was the second leg of a double for Becky, who at the start of the meeting had recorded her initial victory as a trainer when legging up Laura Grey to take the Hunt race on Celtic Boy, a gift horse to his rider from Dai Walters. It was just a second ride for Laura, 21, who admitted beforehand that she felt more nervous than she had done prior to her debut at Llanvapley, and who was presented with the trophy by her grandmother Isabel Thomas.

Laura, who rides out for Tim Vaughan, already has an anatomy degree from Bristol University, and will be returning there in the autumn to begin veterinary studies.

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The Confined went to Balearic Star, equipped with first-time blinkers, but favourite-backers had their hearts in their mouths at the penultimate, where a shocking blunder saw Paul Tolman almost disappear over his mount's tail. Paul earned full marks for his fine recovery, although a jury would have awarded him "nil points" for artistic impression.

Balearic Star - "He's very easy to do, that's why we haven't sold him," laughed Mark Lewis - is the only Pointer he and his wife Bridget, both former successful riders, have in their yard. "We both work full time," explained Mark, who is now involved in the building trade, while Bridget continues her nursing career.

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18-year-old Joe Williams, a Cardiff college student, made his first ride for Robert Rowsell a winning one when taking the Novice Riders' contest on Stoneriggs Merc. The grey was wearing bandages in a subdued shade of blue, in stark contrast to the previous week when vivid pink was the order of the day to match the outfit worn by his groom Becky, an international show-jumper, in a jokey attempt to emulate Katie Price!

"He stays all day," said Robert of the grey, who was purchased out of Evelyn Slack's yard in the hope that he could match the exploits of another who came from the same source, Red Man.

Robert was celebrating his 40th birthday, and it was at the corresponding meeting in 1994 that he marked his 23rd by winning a division of the Maiden on yet another grey, Sergeant Silver.

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The most welcome sight of the day was that of John Mathias, who was released from hospital the previous day and who has evidently quickly adapted to using his crutches. Boredom is already setting in, but it seems as though Dai Rees, for whom he works, has been quick to find his head lad some suitable employment. "He's told me not to come back to work for months until I'm completely fit, but he was soon on the phone to ask me to look up a horse on the internet," grinned John.

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