Welsh Hills Deliver the Goods on Thursday Evening
Sure, Ffos Las might not have the glamour of Cheltenham or the history of Aintree, but by God, they know how to put together a proper evening's entertainment in the Carmarthenshire hills. Thursday's six-race card had everything you'd want from a midweek jumps meeting – maidens with potential, handicaps with stories to tell, and enough intrigue to keep the form students busy until the small hours.
The going was riding a treat at Good to Good to Soft in places, and with the Welsh air crisp and the floodlights doing their job, it was the sort of evening that reminds you why we fell in love with this game in the first place. The feature mares' maiden hurdle drew a field of ten, and with Harry Skelton making the trip west for Hidden Fortune, you knew there was serious business to be done.
Mares' Maiden Takes Centre Stage
The Mercedes-Benz of Chichester Mares' Maiden Hurdle was the headline act, and rightly so. At two miles and a furlong, it was perfectly set up for some of these fillies to announce themselves as future stars. Hidden Fortune, with Harry Skelton doing the steering, had to be respected purely on the basis of connections – when Skelton travels to Wales for an unrated maiden, you sit up and take notice.
But the one that caught my eye was Shutfrontdoor, already rated 105 and clearly a filly with some experience under her belt. Freddie Mitchell in the saddle suggests they're not here for the scenery, and that rating tells you she's already shown enough at home or in point-to-points to warrant respect. The fact she's carrying a 'C' and 'D' marker suggests there might be some question marks, but sometimes that's exactly when these types are value.
Flash Bardot with Brendan Powell was another worth a second look. Powell's been riding with real confidence lately, and his strike rate when travelling to the smaller tracks has been impressive. Don't be surprised if this one pops up in a decent novice hurdle before the season's out.
Handicap Hurdles Offer Clues for the Future
The KSR Lighting Handicap Hurdle over two and three was where the real stories were hiding. Motazzen, rated 108 with Brendan Powell again taking the ride, looked like the type who could progress beyond this level if connections play their cards right. That rating suggests genuine ability, and Powell wouldn't be making the journey unless he fancied his chances.
But it was Khalk'eau Spigao down at the bottom of the weights that had me reaching for the notebook. Rated just 88 with Dylan Johnston up, this one screamed each-way value if the market let him drift. These French-bred types often take time to find their feet in British racing, but when they click, they can improve rapidly.
The longer handicap hurdle in the Southern Cranes race was a proper stamina test at two miles five furlongs, and Renoir at the top of the weights looked to have the profile of a horse who could step up in class. David Noonan's booking suggested confidence, and at 100, he's still got room for improvement in the right race.
Chasers Show Their Mettle
The novice handicap chase was where the real excitement lay for those of us who love to see horses learning their trade over fences. Today's card featured Ballyfinn at the top of the weights, rated 97 and looking like a horse who could make his mark in better company if he continues on his current trajectory.
All Authorized caught the eye as a potential improver. Rated 86 with Caoilin Quinn, he's the sort who could find significant improvement over fences having perhaps not quite fulfilled his potential over hurdles. These are the types that make handicap chasing so fascinating – you never know when one might suddenly put it all together.
The V2 Radio Handicap Chase, being an ARC Summer Chase Series Qualifier, added an extra layer of interest. Saint Polo at the head of affairs looked solid enough, but Grain Trade with Gavin Sheehan making the trip suggested there was more to come from that one. Sheehan's strike rate when he travels for these evening meetings has been excellent this season.
Future Stars in the Bumper
The evening concluded with a proper bumper featuring twelve runners, including some seriously well-connected types. When you see Nico de Boinville, Harry Skelton, Gavin Sheehan, and Harry Cobden all turning up for a Class 5 bumper in Wales, you know there's serious potential lurking in this field.
Red One with de Boinville was the obvious standout on jockey bookings alone. Henderson's stable jockey doesn't travel light for these affairs, and you can bet this one has shown plenty at home. Short Sell with Skelton was another to note – the Skelton brothers have an excellent record with their bumper horses, and this one could be anything.
Cameron de Fiacre with Sheehan completing the big-name jockey trio looked like he could be the value play if the market concentrated on the obvious choices. These French-bred types often improve markedly for their first run, and Sheehan's presence suggested connections were confident.
Looking Ahead: Ones to Follow
From tonight's action, several horses have marked themselves down as ones to follow through the season. Hidden Fortune, assuming she ran with any sort of promise, looks like a filly who could develop into a useful novice hurdler. The connections alone suggest there's more to come.
In the handicap ranks, Motazzen and Grain Trade both look like horses who could step up significantly if they ran their races tonight. Both are at ratings where they could quickly find themselves in much better company if the improvement continues.
The bumper provided the most intrigue for future planning. Any of the big-name jockey rides who showed promise tonight will be worth following into maiden hurdles later in the season. These evening meetings at places like Ffos Las are often where future stars take their first steps, and tonight's card had all the ingredients for uncovering some gems.
All in all, a proper evening's sport in Wales. Sometimes the smaller tracks provide the biggest thrills, and Ffos Las delivered exactly what was promised – honest racing, progressive horses, and enough talking points to last until the next meeting. Sláinte to that.
