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Former Welsh pony racing champion Connor Brace put his flat racing experience to good use when landing the Racing TV Standard Open Flat Race over two miles at Huntingdon (writes Brian Lee).
Riding A Book Of Intrigue, a 40-1 chance, for his guv’nor Fergal O’Brien, who trains in the Cotswolds, the six-year-old, racing for the first time in 440 days, won by a length from Chat To Charlie.
Ogmore-By-Sea’s Christian Williams sent his Cap Du Nord on the 309-mile trip to Sedgefield where his six-year-old course and distance winner won the £18,768 Young Chasers Series Final Handicap Chase under Pembrokeshire’s James Bowen.
Cap Du Nord went off the 9-4 joint favourite.
The winner of our final race the @RacingTV Standard Open National Hunt Flat Race
1️⃣ A Book Of Intrigue
2️⃣ Chat to Charlie
3️⃣ Namib Dancer pic.twitter.com/4RSrV9kPqP— Huntingdon Racecourse (@Huntingdon_Race) March 3, 2019
In the Conditions Race for Novice Riders, David Brace’s William Money, ridden by Jack Tudor and a former inmate of Tim Vaughan’s Aberthin yard, was made an even money favourite and had a flying start.
But he was overtaken and finished seven lengths behind the French-bred multiple winner under Rules Vivaldi Collonges, ridden by BW Bromley
Chepstow’s Tommy Faulkner saddled his fifth winner of the season when landing the Intermediate race at the Beaufort Hunt Point-To-Point Steeplechases at Didmarton with his eight-year-old Mister Robbo.
He led four fences from the finish and went on to score by 15 lengths from 33-1 chance Midnight Monkey.
Mister Robbo, a 5-2 chance, was confidently ridden by Cowbridge’s Byron Moorcroft, who was chalking up his 11th winner of the season.
Favourite Billy Gwyn Too was pulled up.
Cap Du Nord, trained by @CWilliamsRacing, takes the £19,000 first prize in the Young Chasers Series Final @SedgefieldRace under @james_bowen_ – the long journey home to Wales will go slightly quicker now – congratulations! pic.twitter.com/BSqULOdagH
— Chepstow Racecourse (@Chepstow_Racing) March 3, 2019
In the Club Members’ race Bradley Gibbs, on Moral Hazard, jumped the last fence clear of Sarazen Bridge, but the latter ran gamely on the run-in and it was announced that Sarazen Bridge’s rider Nick Phillips had got his mount up on the line to win by a neck.
Phillips later won the Restricted on the well backed Mankala, who scored by three lengths from Barrafohona.
James King, aged 23 and riding Oscar Bravo for Clare Lloyd Davies, took the Open Maiden Race, coming home eight lengths ahead of GetABuck.
The Young Horse Maiden went to the odds-on Hot To Trot, who led at the last and went on to beat the second favourite Arctic Milly by four lengths.
Hot To Trot was partnered by 24-year-old Tamartha Worsley, who has ridden around a dozen winners under Rules.
Vale of Glamorgan trainer Tim Vaughan saw his 11-year-old son Edward ride a well judged race to win one of the pony races on his 11-year-old grey mare White Water.
Vaughan, his stable jockey Alan Johns and Andrew Lowrie of Optimum Racing will be the guest speakers at a Cheltenham Festival preview evening at Barry West End Club on Friday, March 8.
Entrance by ticket only costs £10 and includes a hot buffet. Tickets can be obtained by phoning Andrew on 01446 722463
Winners
Pony Race: 1 Clear The Track (Taylor Fisher); 2 Dillans Girl (Jack Dace); 3 White Water( Edward Vaughan); 4 Mr Marshall (Freddie Curtis).
Members: The Flying Doc (Will Biddick) 1/2 fav.
Intermediate: Mister Robbo (Byron Moorcroft) 5-2
Club Members: Sarazen Bridge (Nick Phillips) 5-1
Novice Riders: Vivaldi Collonges (BW Bremley) 6-1
Restricted: Mankilla (Nick Phillips) 2-1 fav.
Maiden: Hot To Trot (Tamatha Worsley) 4-5 fav.
Open Maiden: Oscar Bravo (James King) 5-1
