After a fortnight’s delay, caused by adverse weather conditions, the season of point to point steeplechases got off to an excellent start with the West Wales Area Club meeting at Lydstep on Sunday afternoon.

The organisers were well pleased with the level of public support from a wide area and also the generous amount of sponsorship forthcoming and the annual donation from the Horse Racing Levy Board was also greatly appreciated.

Chairman Vernon Beynon, Clynderwen, said the going was reported to be surprisingly good and the whole course performed well up to expectations.

“We did, however, have to take out one of the jumps in an area of the course that was unacceptably boggy,” he said.

There were very good entries in all, but one of the six races on the card, most of which serve as qualifiers for more highly rated events later in the season.

A particularly noticeable feature of the results was that the remarkable 13-year-old bay gelding, Rosie’s Peacock, under John Mathias, and owned and trained in South Pembrokeshire by David Llewellyn won his 30th race at this event.

Results:

Members (sponsored by Victoria Hats and Fascinators) - 1. Books Review (Mark Robinson) 5-2; 2. Full Print (Evan David); 3. Oscar Delta (James Nixon), six ran.

Open Maiden, for mare and fillies (Geraint Jones 4x4 Specialists) - 1. Princess Tina (Tom David) 4-1; 2. Midnight Bliss (Evan David); 3. Fearless Fantasy (James Nixon), 10 ran.

Open Maiden, for horses and geldings (Hywel Griffiths & Son Plant Hire) - 1. Nicholasville (Tom David) 6-1; 2. Glenteeneasaigh (John Mathias); 3. Sandeel Bay (Wayne Maskell), 11 ran.

Ladies Open (Mrs Cynthia Higgon) - 1. Highly Unlikely (Charlotte Evans) 8-11f, two ran.

Men’s Open (George and Anne Youngman, Angel Inn) - 1. Rosie’s Peacock (John Mathias) 4-5f; 2. Medicinal Compound (Evan David); 3. A Country Mile (Matthew Barber), seven ran

Restricted (3 A’s Caravans, Carmarthen and Cross Hands) - 1. Northgeorge (Bryan Moorcroft) 7-4f; 2. C Me In Oz (Bradley Gibbs); 3. Gardiners’ Hill (Matthew Barber), seven ran.

Future point to point meetings include the South Pembrokeshire Hunt on Easter Monday and the Tivyside and Carmarthenshire on Sunday, April 24 - both at Lydstep with the first race at 1 pm -and the Banwen Miners at Llwynddu Glais on Monday, May 2 (first race 1.30 pm).

Also the West Wales Area Committee are arranging a fund raising quiz night at the Angel Inn, Llandissilio, on Wednesday, March 2, at 7.30 pm.