Driver Michael O’Mahony steals the show at Tregaron

WALES, UK – After a number of years of wet or overcast conditions, the Tregaron committee were finally graced with some glorious weather and some top-quality harness racing to match.

Some incredible equine performances were seen over the weekend non-more so that of Evenwood Sonofagun in the Battle of The Big Guns race, who won in an impressive 2.04, giving him his fourteenth straight victory and with it the favourites tag for the Crock of Gold final in two weeks' time where he will go head to head with the mighty Miraculous.

However, the weekend belonged to driver Michael O'Mahony who won an incredible nine races over the weekend, seven of which he trained himself.

Lyons Lememay (Lyons Danny-Lyons Montana) continued her tremendous form to take out the Little Welsh Dragoness heat and final from a very game Greenhill Debatable (James Haythornthwaite) and the other heat winner Crown Victoria (David Bevan) in third.

He drove Style Matters (trained by Lowri Jones) and Southern Sunshine to victory to secure their places in the Strata Florida handicap, with the latter his charge in the final. The race panned out perfectly for Southern Sunshine the 7-year-old gelding by Best Sunshine who was able to settle himself during the first half a mile, then he moved into a challenging position going down the back straight for the final time before pulling away up the home straight.

Second went to Cardigan Flashman (Richard Haythornthwaite) with Reeds Scarlett in third (Rhun Wilson). The victory meant an incredible amount to connections as the horse had incurred a number of setbacks over the last twelve months and their patience proved lucrative in the end. That took Michael's tally to five winners on day one.

Day two was more of the same for Michael with In the Ayr (trained by Bethan Kelly) and Meldoon taking out the first two heats of the Welsh Classic and Lyon's St. Mary taking out a division of the maidens taking the tally to an impressive eight wins but the best was yet to come.

Ten pacers stepped on to the track for the Group 1 Welsh Classic final to the poignant sounds of Chariots of Fire. Happy Hands was the market leader but his 40-yard trail was too much to conquer, instead it was the four-year-old mare Meldoon (by new super sire Doonbeg out of the Real Artist mare Real Melody) who showed a tremendous turn of foot to kick clear of the field and secure O'Mahony his third final winner over the festival.

Second went to Rhyds Passion (James Haythornthwaite) and third went to the impressive Llwyns Delight (Lee Price) who had to overcome a 50-yard trail.

The three-year Dragon for colts and geldings was a very open affair. All Good Hanover (Lee Fletcher) was an impressive winner of heat one whilst recent Portmarnock winner Tarawood CJ (Grant Cullen) took out heat two, beating favourite Rhyds Rockstar (James Haythornthwaite).

However come the final it was neither of these three who took victory, instead it went the way of No Brakes (Hasty Hall – Panama Canal) in the hands of Steve Lees with local hope My Buddy (Alan Jones) back in second.

Due to the number of entrants in the two-year-old Junior Dragoness two heats were ran on the Friday with Lyons Rosella (Rhys Evans) and Greenhill Hanover (Mick Lord) taking out the two divisions. Greenhill Hanover (Mick Lord) took advantage of her plum draw in the final and went on to win by one and three quarter lengths from Brown Eyed Girl (Patrick Kane Jnr).

The colts division may not have gone the way everyone anticipated with stablemates Matticulous and Merrington Movingup fighting it out at the finish with Movingup taking the spoils on this occasion.

Two Le Trot races also took place on the Saturday. Equilea Du Hauty (Rhys Evans) made it four victories from as many runs and looks the one to beat in the three year old championship. Valseur Du Cygne (Rocker Laidler) made it another win on the Ceredigion soil in the aged division having won a similar event at the Ceredigion Trotting Club event held in July.

by Kayleigh Evans, for the Tregaron Trotting Club