The finish of the 4.40 at Ffos Las on Sunday recalled that of the 1983 Cheltenham Gold Cup, in which the first five were trained by Michael Dickinson. At the Carmarthenshire track, it resulted in a 1-2-3 for Bernard Llewellyn, with Change Of Fortune running on strongly for a first victory at the 28th attempt. His stablemates King Of The Dance and Scarfo followed him home. Claimer Elizabeth Gale (photographed with the winning connections) rode the winner, continuing to switch between jumps and flat racing. She partnered last weekend’s 33/1 winner, Polling Day, for the yard.
Before that race, the skies darkened and the heavens opened, but it was a good omen for Llewellyn, who had never shied away from running two or three horses in the same contest. It paid off handsomely today.
The afternoon had begun on good to soft going for the course’s first flat fixture of the season, and the stands side was definitely the place to be. David Probert exploited that on Hughie Morrison’s Beggarman. The eight-year-old has won four times on the all-weather but had failed in all of his 20 starts on the turf – until now. The only one in the field to have won over as far as today’s 1m6f trip, he was the last one off the bridle and was four lengths up passing the post.
James Bowen’s useful association with Warren Greatrex was cemented at Bangor on Saturday when he got Tactical Affair home with a whirlwind finishing effort. The horse had been raised ten pounds for a ten-length success under Bowen at Stratford a month ago. Here he looked held in third place, having made a mistake at the penultimate fence, with the two leaders two four lengths ahead of him coming to the last. Tactical Affair is owned by the Velocity Racing syndicate and James certainly conjured up some speed from him on the run-in to remind us that while his brother gets most of the headlines, he is not far behind, if at all, in terms of ability. Elsewhere on the card, the old firm of McCain and Hughes brought up their umpteenth double at the course.
Chris Mason sent his seven-year-old mare Glamorous Breeze up to Haydock, where she produced a fine performance to win carrying ten stone. The Glamorous horses are always speedy sorts, and she was going well within herself for most of this five-furlong race. Shaken up by Gina Mangan, her usual partner, she took the lead a furlong out, and when challenged, readily found more. Glamorous Breeze must be a pleasure to own. Nine wins, eleven seconds, and eleven thirds from 45 starts. Bred by Robert and Nina Bailey, she’s won over £100,000 in prize money and will doubtless breed a few winners when she has finished her racing career. Mason is now 2-4 at the Lancashire track.
Our next meeting at Ffos Las is Sunday, 29th June, when it’s an Abba-themed race day. Racegoers are invited to dress accordingly! The first race is off at 2.15pm.
