The last time spectators attended a race meeting at Ffos Las was March 2020.
Shortly afterwards the coronavirus pandemic struck and changed the world. The impact on my business was strict rules preventing people attending live sport. It also meant no race meetings whatsoever at Ffos Las between April and October 2020.
We resumed racing in October behind closed doors under detailed safety guidelines issued by the British Horseracing Authority. Entry has been restricted to participants only with – more recently – owners allowed to attend.
Thankfully, following the Welsh Government’s announcement on June 4th, customers are allowed to return for our jump meeting this Thursday 17th June. We have seven races from 5.45pm and tickets are £15. The gates open at 3.45pm.
The regulations mean that tickets must be purchased in advance so we can adhere to track and trace guidelines. You can buy a ticket up to 3.45pm on the day of racing.
Welsh Government rules also specify that customers must all be located outside but the weather is looking positive so a lovely summer evening of racing is on the cards.
We are delighted to welcome two new sponsors to Ffos Las for this meeting. CP Civil Engineering and P.B.R. Abrasives are supporting the card. A big thank you to both of these companies.
The fine form of many Welsh trainers and jockeys continues.
Sean Bowen has registered winners at Aintree and Hexham in recent days. He made virtually all of the running on the Rebecca Curtis trained chaser Ruthless Article to score at Aintree last Friday night and the following day he was successful aboard Kapsize at Hexham, trained by his Dad Peter and owned by his brother Mickey.
The seven-year-old Cotton End maintained her remarkable progress since joining the Shelia Lewis yard when also winning at Aintree on Friday with Ben Jones in the saddle. The mare has also won at Newton Abbot, Uttoxeter, Hereford and Ludlow since leaving the Margaret Mullins stable in Ireland.
Her handicap rating has risen from 94 to 121 with another increase on the cards following this latest success.
The David Brace team struck with the 20-1 shot Shanandoa at Uttoxeter last Thursday. Jack Tudor brought the gelding with a tremendous late run to win by a short head.
The next meeting at Ffos Las after this Thursday evening is on Tuesday 20th July when we host our first flat fixture. There are seven races from 1.55pm.
We are waiting for the next Welsh Government Covid update on Friday 25th June before announcing some of our other plans for the summer. We are still unable to accommodate hospitality inside our buildings and we are hoping this position will change following the next review.
