Heavy early morning rain seriously threatened the chances of the Vale of Clettwr Point to Point going ahead last Saturday, but the storm clouds cleared at Cilwendeg in time for the stewards to permit the meeting to go ahead, with good racing enjoyed by enthusiasts.

Aberaeron-owner Dafydd Jones and his family were on hand in the opening Hunt Members race to welcome in their Billy Cuckoo, to the winners enclosure, making a winning debut for new trainer Steven Bevan and jockey Nick Williams. The six-year-old, a previous inmate of professional trainer Keith Goldsworthy, was able to build on his past National Hunt experience to see off runner-up Backstreet Lad and Nathan Deakin by five lengths.

Another new inmate to Bevan's Pyle yard is Keith Pritchard's' phenomenal point to pointer Cannon Bridge, who swept aside his rivals under Hannah Lewis in the Ladies Open to record his 20th point to point win, and make it a double for Bevan on the day.

Owner/trainer Dai Rees was also in double winning form, with Superman De La Rue and Major Decision. The first put up the most impressive win of the day in the 'Horses and Geldings Maiden'.

Backed in from 3-1 to evens favourite, Superman De La Rue made light work of his opposition, going on to win by a distance in the fastest time of the day under an ultra-confident ride from John Mathias. Rees's employee, 26-year-old Wayne Maskill, received the biggest cheer of the day with his first career win aboard the 10-year-old Major Decision in the Confined Race.

Mathias also made it a double on the day in the Restricted Race, this time for trainer Luke Price on the Ystrad and Taf Fechan-qualified Renta Gallery. Some racing paper pundits tipped Mathias more success during the afternoon, but his attempt to win the Men's Open aboard favourite Rosie's Peacock was thwarted by Norman Jones's Silver Story.

The grey gelding trained by Willia Vaughan and ridden by Bradley Gibbs always travelled well throughout the race, revelling in the heavy ground conditions to win by six lengths.

David Brace stood a proud man with his winner of the Jockey Club/PPORA Members Mares Maiden Race, Knight Blaze, as not only the owner and trainer of the five- year-old, he also took the title of breeder, a feat not achieved by many. Evan David gave the mare a patient ride, coming with a well-timed run to win by one-and-a-half lengths.

The team at the Tivyside Hunt now have three weeks to put the track ready for the next meeting at Cilwendeg on Sunday, March 11.