The Wales v Iran World Cup group game on Friday didn’t go our way but we were pleased with the number of customers who attended our race meeting the same day. We made the decision to offer free admission to encourage as many people as possible to come along and enjoy the football/racing doubler-header and it paid dividends with an attendance of 1500.
Our final fixture of 2022 is the Christmas Party Race Day on Thursday 15th December. We have a great value ‘Day At The Races’ package available for just £22 which includes admission, a drink, a pie and a race day programme. This is for advance bookings only.
Our opening meeting of 2023 is Thursday 5th January and we also race on Tuesday 31st January. Our first weekend fixture is Sunday 5th March. The popular Easter Sunday Family Race Day is Sunday 9th April. For all the fixture information, please see our website.
While Constitution Hill was dazzling everyone at Newcastle on Saturday, James Bowen (photographed) was at Newbury riding a double on his stablemates and giving Nicky Henderson good cause to repeat his belief that his number two jockey was a future champion. On the basis of last season’s bumper form Luccia was even money favourite for her debut over hurdles in a mares’ Listed race. She gave her backers little cause for concern and won by five lengths. She will be a live contender for the Dawn Run at Cheltenham.
Later that afternoon Bowen, riding First Street, bided his time before tackling the front-running filly Grivetana, who had set a blistering pace in the third quarter of the race. Conceding 25 pounds to her, First Street finished the race strongly and will have to step up in grade after this.
Connor Brace was reunited with his grandfather’s Paint The Dream on the first day of the Newbury meeting. He won the 2m4f chase by 14 lengths, in the same buccaneering fashion that he did over course and distance in March. Last time out’s fourth place over three miles in the Charlie Hall indicated that that distance was further than ideal for him. Winning like he did off a mark of 154 puts him in Ryanair Chase class, but in the meantime he could run at one of Cheltenham’s January meetings.
Brace’s next ride was in the first at Bangor on Saturday on Feel The Pinch, one of the lesser lights in the Fergal O’Brien yard. A course winner over hurdles, he was making a belated chasing debut at the age of eight. He wasn’t going very well mid-race but stamina came into play on the heavy ground and he won with a little bit in hand.
