Point to Point attracts the crowds to Bonvilston

One of the biggest crowds seen in many years

Glamorgan Star news 24/04/2022

2 minutes read

Point to Point attracts the crowds..

Point to Point attracts the crowds to Bonvilston

The Glamorgan Hunt Point-To-Point Steeplechases at Redlands Farm, Bonvilston attracted one of the biggest crowds seen at a point to point in many years and enthusiasts on some parts of the course had a job in avoiding those racegoers enjoying picnics on the grass.

Held on Saturday 16th April, racing got under way with the three-horse hunt members’ race and this was won by Clive Banwell’s 10-year-old bay mare Yeats Ace who, under Welsh champion rider Bradley Gibbs, beat the odds-on favourite Sideways ridden by Daniel Ellis.

Gibbs later took the four-horse restricted open race on the five-year-old bay mare Springtown Sal, who also took the ‘best turned out’ award. Springtown Sal was Gibbs’s 26th winner of the season.

One rider who landed her first winner was Brecon’s Carys Morris who, riding Lord Lipsey’s nine-year-old bay gelding Financial Outcome took the mixed open race when getting home by half-a-length from the favourite LooksNowLikeBrian with Galop Du Bosc, who had led four fences from home, a further length away in third place.

There was a close finish to the aged maiden race with Charlie Sprake, 19, on the six-year-old mare GetAway Gwen getting home by half-a-length from Fun De Nuit, with Blackfinch a further half-a-length away in third.

Four runners went to post for the veteran horse conditions race and this resulted in a win for Luke Price’s 14-year-old Spencer Moon who, under Peter Bryan, came home two lengths ahead of the favourite Robin Des People with Adview Boy, who had led five fences from home, a further four lengths away back in third spot.

Daniel Ellis, aged 17, who rides out for Ogmore-by-Sea’s Christian Williams, won the young horse maiden on Broomfields Cave, beating the odds-on favourite She’s My Shadow by two lengths.

The open pony race was won by 12-year-old Bruce Vaughan, a pupil at Brynteg Comprehensive School, riding his Avalon Dancer. He beat MayDay Black Mink (Lewan Cruise Mills) and Oh My Days (Levi Williams).

The recent Grand National prompted memories for Heather March of Llantwit Major, who said: “Patrons in Bonvilston remembered that Sam Waley-Cohen – the amateur jockey who won this year’s Grand National on Noble Years – had won the ‘Welsh Point-to-Point Grand National’ over a marathon four-mile course for three consecutive years in 2002, 2003 and 2004 on his father’s horse Down. The committee said that he learned his trade here in Wales at Bonvilston.”