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JOHN MATHIAS: rode a treble, including the Confined Maiden winner Lydstep Hills
photo: Alun Sedgmore

Organizing any event; especially an outdoor one, is always a challenge and can be subject to last minute changes and hiccups, but nothing could prepare secretary Liz Rooney and the committee of the Tivyside Point-to-Point races for the phone call at 7am the morning of racing with news that the paramedics team booked for the meeting were unable to attend, leaving the fixture in doubt.

After many phone calls enough local paramedics willing to give up their spare time were assembled, but by now it was ten o'clock and racing had to be put back to a 2pm start instead of the scheduled 11am. Unfortunately the scheduled Pony Racing could not go ahead.

The course at Cilwendeg, owned by generous landowners, Mr & Mrs Alan Bowen and family had undergone a few changes with the positioning of new bends and first fence. These met with approval from Riders, Owners and Trainers and with genuine good ground the course rode well and provided some good racing with exciting close finishes, none more so than in the Confined, won by David Llewellyn's Rosies Peacock.

Ridden by John Mathias, who went on to ride a treble at the meeting, the seven-year-old bay gelding held off the strong challenge of 1/2 favourite Silver Story and Rhys Hughes to score by half a length. Mathias was quick to thank connections for their loyalty to him riding the horse; with the Rider unable to partner the horse at the last Carmarthenshire meeting, the Llewellyn family were happy to wait for his availability and run at Saturday's meeting instead. The Intermediate race at Lydstep on Easter Monday is next on the agenda, where a 5lb penalty should not inconvenience him.

Intermediate winner Rith Bob brought home more silverware for Owner/Trainer Dai Rees, providing Mathias with a quick double. Sent off the 1/2 favourite, this tough little mare will not been seen out again until the word ‘soft' is back in the going description, as connections thought the going proved quick enough for her. As this was her third win of the season, it also puts her nicely in front of the competition for the Area Champion Horse title.

Both the Mens and Ladies Open Races went to South Wales horses. Nick Williams, aboard the Jonathon Tudor owned Minsgill Mans, held off the Krystal Harries trained and 4/5 favourite Makena by half a length in the Mens. Ridden by John Mathias, Makena was asked to take up the running from Minsgill Mans with a circuit to go. By the open ditch the race looked very much at Makena's mercy but Minsgill Mans battled on when looking outpaced to join the leader at the second last and go on at the last to land his ninth success for connections

Sent off the 1/2 favourite, Cannon Bridge and Isobel Tompsett recorded the fastest winning time of the day with 5 minutes and 54 seconds in the Ladies Open. Owner Keith Pritchard will be receiving an extra financial reward for winning this race thanks to the race sponsorship of Brightwells Insurance and the Weekender newspaper; the race was part of their Order of Excellence race series.

Off The Shelf, a 2009 Ascot sales purchase, provided joint Owner and Rider Lucy Jones with her first winner of the season when taking the Restricted. Ridden more prominently than on his first start of the season at Barbury Castle, Lucy was content to sit in behind long time leaders Mr Who and Duggans Forge, sending him on to win by six lengths from the 4/5 favourite Rimini, who was always struggling to land a blow. Off The Shelf returned the best priced winner of the day at 8/1.

The Confined Maiden provided not only the third winner of the day for John Mathias but also the fourth winner of the day trained in Pembrokeshire. A homebred success for Owner/Trainer Phil Mathias, father of the jockey, the gelding Lydstep Hills was having only his second start of his career made light of having sight in only one eye when taking the last race of the day by four lengths. A very nice type of horse who is said to be "an old man's ride at home", he looks to have a bright future.

The combination of father and son had also proved a winning one earlier in the day in the Hunt Members race, when Tivyside joint Master Robert Humfrey and his Trainer/Rider son George teamed up with Wheedle, comfortably taking the race by eight lengths.

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