22 March 2011 Report: Tivyside- Cilwendeg
by Amanda Sloyan
@body.jpg)
JOHN MATHIAS: first Welsh jockey to ride six winners in one day
photo: Alun Sedgmore
Making its way back onto the Lewis' family sideboard for the sixth time since its inauguration is the winner's trophy for the Tivyside Hunt Members race.
Trained by Bridget Lewis and owned by father-in-law, past Hunt Master Dewi Lewis, odds-on favourite Balearic Star came home a five length winner from Bizarre Native in the opening race of the day.
Ridden by South Pembrokeshire jockey John Mathias, it proved a day to go down in history as Mathias went on to ride another five winners; the next three, his father Phillip's, Lydstep Hills (Confined), Eric Clough's Pathian Prince (Intermediate) and David Llewellyn's Rosies Peacock (Mens Open) also all hailed from South Pembrokeshire, with the latter two now having the Dunraven Windows Novice Hunter Chase at Chepstow on April 15th as a potential target. When asked what his future plans were for Lydstep Hills, Mathias senior said "unsure about his horse, but he knew that his lay down at local watering hole, the Cresswell Quay about 9pm!"
Chestnut Annie and Isobel Tompsett provided a change of face to the winners enclosure when taking the only race Mathias could not ride in, the AGA Ladies Open; Annie, easily accounting for sole rival Chandlers Cross, ridden by Jodie Hughes, enjoyed the good ground at the Cilwendeg course.
13 runners went to post in the Restricted but it was Mathias and previous Brecon Maiden winner Saint Peray, owned by Clarbeston Road Trainer Dai Rees, who came away five lengths to the good from Paul Tolman and the Rob Scrine-trained On Oath. Scrine teamed up with Nick Williams in the next race, the Maiden division one, gaining compensation with 9-year-old gelding Atmywitsend.
Mathias ended the day as he has started in division two of the Maiden aboard a horse he trains himself, the Club Preseli-owned Banagher. Mathias came home to a great reception from the crowd, creating history in winning his sixth race of the day, a feat never achieved before by a Welsh jockey.
