By James Stevens
Another busy week in Welsh Horse Racing with plenty going on both in Wales and for Welsh Jockeys across the boarder.
John Flint added his son and former jockey Rhys to the licence just before the start of the new jumps season and the combination wasted little time making an impact having enjoyed a 1,540-1 double during the week.
The breakthrough came at Chepstow on Tuesday when Flame Of Kodiac caused a huge 66-1 shock in the mile handicap under William Carson.
A first jumps winner came just a day later just down the M4 at Ffos Las as stable flagbearer Amateur bounced back to form at odds of 22-1. The 11-year-old battled hard to register a first success in just under a year having pulled up on his previous three starts.
That victory marked another landmark for another Welshman as it was a second winner for promising amateur jockey Edward Vaughan, the son of leading trainer Tim.
The good spell for the yard, based near Bridgend, comes just before yard legend Blaze A Trail makes his seasonal comeback. He completed a fantastic five-timer in 2022 and shaped with promise when he was last seen at Wincanton in April. Perhaps he looks set to regain the winning thread at Hereford on Friday.
David Probert continues to fly the flag for Wales in the top-level Flat meetings and rode a big winner at York’s Dante meeting aboard Dancing In Paris.
He guided the four-year-old to an impressive victory in the 1m4f handicap and he could be a horse to follow in the big Flat meetings across the season.
Probert was not on the scoresheet at Newbury’s two-day Lockinge meetings but Metal Merchant – a horse previously highlighted in the blog – ran a fine second and will surely prove a player in the prestigious Royal Hunt Cup at Royal Ascot while Ferrous could be a contender at the same meeting in the Wokingham.
It was West Berkshire to south west Rome for the rider on Sunday as he partnered Royal Supremacy in the Italian Derby, but the Andrew Balding-trained runner could finish only second to the German runner Borna.
The week ended all square in the early race to be champion jockey with Welshman Sean Bowen level with last season’s winner Harry Cobden with eight winners apiece.
Bowen is aiming to go one better this season and has continued his excellent spell riding a winner at Ffos Las, Perth before securing a Sunday double at Stratford.
His brother James has also made a promising start to the campaign with five winners. He enjoyed a notable winner at Aintree on Friday night aboard Captain Morgs for boss Nicky Henderson.
Ben Jones too has continued his good start, following up a Ffos Las winner with victory at Fontwell the following day.
