REVIEW
CARMARTHENSHIRE
ERW LON
SUNDAY 24 MARCH 2002
by Alison Morris

While the rest of Britain had been getting on with it in Wales have had to put up with postponements and abandonment's every weekend. The one day it looked as if we may have some racing the tents turned into parachutes!! So it was a wonderful feeling to set off for Carmarthen on Sunday morning (without the horse who had one of those mysterious lameness' that had disappeared the day after..and they say they don't know what's going on!!) and arrive early at Erw Lon where the ground was not the "bog" that so many pundits had predicted. We needn't have been quite so keen, however, as there was a delay of over one and a half hours before the event got under way. As one of the jockeys happily remarked as he loitered outside the secretary's tent.."Hands up, who forgot to 'phone the paramedics?" Thankfully they did arrive and we actually had some racing in Wales for the first time this month.

Hurdante, who had been walking around the paddock with the others when the delay was announced didn't return to his lorry but ambled happily around with his owner..a plan that worked as he won the members race with a game front running performance.

The rest of the day belonged not to the Jones's (although Dai as always tried his best) but to the William's. Messrs Evan and Christian to be precise and also to Charlotte and Beth who weren't to be outdone by their namesakes.

Evan took three races all on horses he trained himself and it seems to be an accepted fact that he would be much higher in the jockeys championship had we not had so many hold ups in Wales. His successful
mounts were Bright Beacon (intermediate), Val's Well (restricted) and Mr. Nemo (div 1 5.6.&7 yr old maiden).

His day ended on a more downbeat note however when he had a nasty fall in the penultimate race and was helped back into the weighing room.

After the Men's open most owners were left wishing that Dat My Horse was their horse, as he trounced Cherry Gold in easy fashion and prompted Christian to claim him the best thing that he has ever sat on. On of the more disgruntled viewers had actually wanted to go to the sales and buy the horse, but had been refused the "loan" by his wife. As Christian passed the line the unhappy prospective owner smiled sweetly at her and said "June, you'd better go and stand somewhere else!"

Dai Jones took Keith Pritchard's well fancied Little Eleanor into the winner's enclosure in the first division of the youngsters maiden. Keith, who has had some formidable horses in his time including Suikerbos and Knock on the Head, was clearly very happy to be back in the number one spot.

The older horses maidens, which produced larger fields than the youngster's version went to Charlotte Williams on her own Stormhill Daydream and Lee Stephens on Just ruffled, the latter out sprinting his
rival at the final fence.

The Ladies went to another Williams, this time Beth and the lovely Market Springer who absolutely took off along the back straight. Slight disappointment afterwards, when Beth put on a hat she's already worn
this year! It was a pleasant days racing marred by the horrible fall of Victor Power. Much as I sympathize with Peter Bowen over this tragedy I still can't quite understand how professional trainers, in the guise of
owners, can turn up at a point to point and run a horse...wonder what would happen if I happily turned up at Hereford? or, God forbid Cheltenham!! Perhaps in time the Jockey Club will see the error of their
ways and give the sport back to the real amateurs. Like myself, who, having ridden out at 5 am this morning am typing this up in my lunch break!

Happy racing for the Bank Holiday.