A crowd of almost 7000 packed into the Ffos Las enclosures last Friday for Ladies Day and the buzzing atmosphere clearly agreed with Oviedo.
After finishing fourth in the Cambridgeshire – one of the major handicaps of the season – at Newmarket in 2003, Oviedo’s form went into a tailspin. But the Carmarthenshire track has reinvigorated his career.
Alexandra Dunn’s six-year-old demolished a 10-runner field by 12 lengths at Ffos Las a fortnight ago. And he doubled up on Friday.
Ridden once again by Millie Wonnacott, Oviedo was made to work a little harder this time. But he still had enough in the tank to win a one-mile handicap a touch cosily by two-and-a-quarter lengths.
His victory was among the highlights on the track as a packed crowd helped deliver a brilliant atmosphere on one of the biggest days in the West Wales social calendar, one packed with entertainment, live music and a DJ set.
Safari Dream, another horse who won at the track last time out, got the day under way by bagging a six-furlong handicap.
The Welsh winner on the day was provided by Nikki Evans. The Monmouthshire trainer struck with City Escape, who came from off the pace to take a 10-furlong contest in comfortable fashion.
There was a dramatic conclusion to the day with Atalanta Mist throwing away victory in the final strides of the finale by veering sharply to the right with around 70 yards to run.
That allowed Dream of Ithaca to poach the first prize.
A busy August at Ffos Las draws to a close this week with a two-day meeting starting on Thursday. Both afternoons will have six-race cards.
There has been plenty for the Welsh to celebrate elsewhere.
At our sister track Chepstow, Monmouthshire trainer Grace Harris took the plaudits with a double. The first winner came via Rating and was followed up by Too Much Trevor’s success in a seven-furlong handicap.
It’s been a busy summer for Too Much Trevor, who has run nine times at Chepstow since the middle of May. But he has remained ultra-consistent, winning three times as well as bagging a second and two third places.
Arguably the most taking performance of the meeting came with Invincible Spirit’s success in a five-furlong fillies’ maiden.
Trained locally by David Evans, the two-year-old debutante came from off the pace to win impressively by a neck. She could now be aimed at a valuable contest at The Curragh.
David Probert keeps banging in the winners and he teamed up with the increasingly powerful Joseph O’Brien yard to take an above-average maiden at Lingfield with the promising One Number in the double green colours of Munir and Souede.
The jumping game is slowly getting back into the swing of things after a summer break, and all the Bowens made hay at the two Worcester meetings staged just days apart.
In midweek James rode King Roly to victory in a staying handicap chase for trainer brother Mickey, while later on the card champion jockey Sean took a 2m4f handicap hurdle with Starshine Legend.
Ben Jones rounded off a fine day for the Welsh when taking a stayers’ hurdle on Betty’s Tiara for Ben Pauling.
And on Sunday James and Mickey teamed up to land a double courtesy of Axel Bleue and Letterston Lily, while Sean also recorded a brace of winners as he partnered Little Ledgend and Network Rgb to victory for Olly Murphy.
There was also success for James Davies as I’ve Got a Friend bagged a narrow win in the bumper.
