24 November 2009 Preview: South & West Wales Season
by Brian Lee
CHESNUT ANNIE: the one to beat in Wales again?
photo: Alun Sedgmore
The 2009/10 Welsh season gets under way with the first ever West Wales Area Club fixture at Lydstep on January 3rd. Reports indicate that there will be no shortage of runners in the Principality this season and Welsh Ladies' champion Isabel Tompsett, who has been keeping fit by riding winners under rules, is looking forward to partnering Beth Roberts' Chesnut Annie again.
This game little mare, who is qualified with the Llangeinor Hunt, won ten races on the bounce to capture the Connolly's Red Mills Leadin Horse Award, and although she could only finish fourth on her final start in a hunter chase at Stratford at the end of the season, she will probably tackle regulation fences a bit earlier this time.
Isabel needs just one more win between the flags for her half-century and with Chesnut Annie's stablemates Its Not Chesnut (who lost her maiden tag at the Brecon & Talybont last season), Copper Carroll and newcomer Tullowcassane to ride, Isabel should soon reach her career milestone.
Meanwhile, Up The Boreen, owned by Llantwit Major estate agent Tony Brown, and trained by former Point-to-Point rider Phil Williams, was a winner on two occasions last season and Phil is confident that this genuine and consistent performer can win again. He also expects Monks Castle to do better this time and says that six-year-old Diamondaire, who has been placed over hurdles in Ireland, is" a very nice prospect.''
Gilfach Goch's Viv Hughes, another former Point-to-Point rider of note, believes his seven-year-old Caribbean Nights can improve on last season's form, and also has high hopes that his French-bred grey entire Strictly and eight-year-old Sheikhman (who could run in Ladies' Open races), will soon be catching the Judge's eye.
