Welsh Racing’s Award Winners Go Back to Work as Chepstow Festival Hots Up
WELSH racing barely had time to put away the trophies before attention turned straight back to the track.
Thursday night’s Welsh Horse Racing Awards at Chepstow celebrated some of the biggest names in the sport, with Sean Bowen named National Hunt Jockey of the Year for a sixth time, Evan and Cath Williams taking National Hunt Trainer of the Year and Peter and Karen Bowen receiving the Outstanding Contribution to Welsh Racing Award.
By Friday afternoon, though, the champagne had been replaced by racecards.
And now the DragonBet Welsh Racing Festival heads into a busy Saturday and Sunday with several of those celebrated Welsh names back in action.
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Bowen takes aim at Saturday’s big prize
The headline race on Saturday is the Wasdell Group Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle, due off at 4.02pm.
Fresh from collecting his latest Welsh award, Sean Bowen rides Daylatedollarshort, who was priced at around 7/1 on Friday evening.
That puts him firmly among the leading contenders, although not at the very head of the market.
The early favourite was Masked Man at around 4/1, with The Mighty Celt around 13/2 and Wellington Arch also close to the 7/1 mark. Odds can, of course, move considerably before the race.
Daylatedollarshort therefore gives Bowen a realistic chance of adding a major race victory to his week.
There is another interesting Welsh family connection further down the field.
Mickey Bowen, who finished runner-up to Evan and Cath Williams for National Hunt Trainer of the Year, has Letterston Lily in the Silver Trophy. She was available at much bigger odds of around 33/1 going into the weekend.
And one familiar name is back to defend his title.
Rambo T, winner of the Silver Trophy last year under Sean Bowen, returns for another attempt at the race. This time he is ridden by Lewis Saunders and was around 14/1 in the early market.
That makes Saturday’s feature a strong and competitive renewal rather than simply a one-horse story.
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Saturday’s race times at Chepstow
The Saturday card begins at 1.35pm and runs through to 5.10pm.
The headline Silver Trophy is at 4.02pm, but there are several interesting supporting races beforehand, including juvenile and novice hurdles which may produce horses worth following later in the season.
Chepstow’s entire three-day festival is being staged as an all-hurdle meeting this year after the chase course could not be prepared to a suitable standard following prolonged dry weather. The scheduled chase races were moved elsewhere.
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Day 1 brings two eye-catching results
The opening day has already produced a couple of notable stories.
In the Welsh Champion Hurdle, Pioneer Pete made virtually all the running to win at 3/1 favourite, beating Morning Mayhem and Tennessee Tango.
Then came a much bigger surprise.
West Hill Verde, sent off at 16/1, won the Grade Two Persian War Novices’ Hurdle, rallying strongly after the last to beat La Cote Fleurie.
The well-backed Cosmic Connection had started favourite but could finish only ninth, while Sean Bowen’s mount Handmedownastar was pulled up.
Those results have already underlined one obvious point about this festival:
nothing is guaranteed.
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Sunday keeps Welsh names in the spotlight
The festival then concludes on Sunday with seven races between 1.27pm and 4.57pm.
There are Welsh award connections here too.
David Evans, named Flat Trainer of the Year on Thursday night, has Bath Taverness entered in the opening 1.27pm mares’ novices’ hurdle.
Later in the afternoon, Sean Bowen is booked to ride Glengouly in the DragonBet Born In Wales Seniors’ Handicap Hurdle at 4.22pm.
Another of Thursday night’s recognised jockeys, Ben Jones, rides Ooh Betty in the same race, creating another direct link between the awards and the weekend action.
The 4.22pm race is worth noting in its own right because its Born In Wales billing fits neatly with a weekend which has been celebrating Welsh racing from almost every angle.
So, Thursday night was about recognition. Friday was about getting back to business. And over the rest of the weekend, several of the people who were collecting awards at Chepstow will be trying to add another win to the record books.
For Sean Bowen, in particular, there is barely time to reflect on being named Welsh National Hunt Jockey of the Year again.
At 4.02pm on Saturday, he will be back in the saddle aboard Daylatedollarshort with one of the weekend’s biggest prizes up for grabs.
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Did Ewe Know?
Chepstow Racecourse opened in 1926 on land at Piercefield Park, and one of the most remarkable feats in its history came in 1933 when legendary jockey Gordon Richards rode 11 consecutive winners at the course.
It remains one of the most extraordinary riding achievements associated with Welsh racing.