Welsh trainers Phil Dando, Tim Vaughan and Dai Rees all saddled winners at Bangor-on-Dee (writes Brian Lee).
Dando, who trains at Peterston-super-Ely, took the Broxton Gates Handicap Hurdle with his home bred Driftwood Haze which scored by half-a-length from bottom weighted Samson’s Reach, ridden by James Bowen.
Driftwood Haze, a 5-1 chance, was partnered by Mitchell Bastyan at a meeting which attracted 3,000-plus spectators.
Around 40 minutes later Aberthin handler Tim Vaughan won the Follow At The Races On Twitter Novices’ Hurdle with the odds-on favourite Copper Gone West, ridden by stable jockey Alan Johns from West Wales.
Congratulations to David Rees as Steel Native wins the Broxton Gates Handicap Steeple Chase 4.35. 🥂 #BangorRaces pic.twitter.com/hdxoeuKmig
— bangorraces (@BangorRaces) March 23, 2019
Then, in the Broxton Gates Handicap Chase, 14-1 chance Steel Native, trained in Pembrokeshire by Dai Rees, scored by half-a-length from Cadeau Du Bresil.
Pembrokeshire’s Sean Bowen won the first two televised races at Kelso.
He rode the Paul Nicholls’ trained Kupatana, a 2-1 chance, to an 18 lengths win in the mares’ novices’ chase.
Then, riding Henry Fry’s 9-2 favourite Winston C, Bowen won the handicap hurdle by a nose – the smallest winning margin – from Champagne City.