WALES & Border Harness Racing this week was on Saturday when Talsarn were hosts on a really beautiful summer afternoon, this lovely picturesque track provided some good competitive racing and a traditional country afternoon’s entertainment.

The first race was the Novice where Fold Allstar driven by his owner Lorna Bird from Evenjobb dictated the pace leading from the off, in second was younger half brother Fold Megastar again trained at the Perks stable at Presteigne with Sally M (Davies, Orleton) running well to claim third.

The next races were the Grade B heats. In the first heat Blue Guns N Roses (Thomas family from Pontypridd) on his first race in open company led from start to finish first in the hands of Perry Thomas, winning comfortably from Juicy Wiggle (Weigel, Llanddewi Velfrey) with Beg For Mercy (Tromans, Newcastle Emlyn) in third.

Another new recruit, Best in Flight (Holyoak stables) driven by David Arrowsmith led the second Grade B heat and held on from the fast finishing Carrie on Fred (Middleton, Llandrindod Wells) while Lawless (Duggan, Howey) was third.

The straight Grade A race gave the long striding Dernol Yankee a comfortable win driven by Lynn Boxhall for Edward Wozencraft a farmer from Llangurig, while Ontop Shouda Cuda (Bevan, Llanddewi) ran on well in second and the popular veteran Lakeside Pan (Elder, Newquay) was third.

In the first Baby Novice race little Fold Take Flight or Timmy as he is called at home driven by his owner/trainer Myfanwy Miles, who has been involved in harness racing for more than half a century, led from the gate, and despite the efforts of Manceys Deuce (Hawkes, Orleton), came home to an ovation from the crowd in recognition of years of hopes and dreams that this 11 year old would one day prevail.

In third place was Brywins Saturn (Rowlands, Nantmel). There was a little less emotion in the second Baby Novice as the talented Lockitdownlou driven by owner Oliver Jones from Evenjobb soon moved into the lead and claimed a comfortable win ahead of Begwyns Trust (Lloyd Painscastle) while Dernol Jacky (Beddoes, Llanbister) was third. Lockitdownlou now moves up to the Novice class.

In the Nursery Dernol Lucky Strike driven by Lynne Boxhall for Edward Wozencraft from Llangurig won, from the lightly raced Tommy Rocket (Evans, Red Roses) with Greathouse Arrow (Evans, Newport) in third.

The Dash was the next race on the card, another exciting blanket finish, with Stateside Icon driven by Mathew Tromans for the Weigel family from Llanddewi Velfrey finishing just ahead of the long time leader GG Rogue (Holyoaks Stables) while Sally M (Davies, Orleton) was third.

In the consolation race, the inform Ithon Queen and owner Sam Reynolds from Orleton won, from the reliable Victoria Penlan (Thomas, Pontypridd) while Ellavafella (Bevan, Llanddewi) was third.

The final race of the day was the Grade B Final in which despite a bad start Blue Guns N Roses on her first week in open racing went from last place to first on the final lap to claim a comfortable victory for the Thomas family from Pontypridd, driven as usual by Perry Thomas, in second was the fast finishing Beg for Mercy (Tromans, Newcastle Emlyn) while Best in Flight (Holyoaks Stables) was third.

Next week racing is back in Powys when Newbridge on Wye hold their fixture at the Cilmeri course on Saturday August 10th starting at 1.30pm.