Getting the money on

Those who turned out for the South Tetcott pony races were in for a treat - the hottest pony races seen in Devon and Cornwall took place there in front of a huge Bank Holiday Monday crowd.

To send a link to this page to a friend, simply enter their email address below.

The message will include the name and email address you gave us when you signed up.

Email address

  Send link

To send a link to this page to a friend, you must be logged in.

The speed of the 148 race left most spectators speechless as the ponies blasted around the bottom corner of the course. The field boasted multiple winners Total Eclipse, Tarka and Jack Sparrow plus three other more-than-capable ponies but, by the time they were half way up the back straight Total Eclipse (Hannah Welch) had the field stretched without ever really coming under pressure.

Welch had done well to get the feisty pony to the start and under orders, but it galloped home a full 12 lengths ahead of a game Tarka (Donald Comer Calder) who had done her best to chase down the leader in the last two furlongs. Jack Sparrow (Hugo Hunt) was third and Flareon (Heidi Lewis) ran on well to take fourth. Interestingly the course took half an hour to walk, but just 2.29 minutes for the ponies to complete!

Total Eclipse is destined to compete for Welch in the Charles Owen Racecourse series which has just got underway and culminates in a national final at Aintree in October.

The 138s also boasted a fair set of multiple winners in the 10-strong field, for their longest distance of the season – not much more than a furlong less than the 148s. Ninfield Millionaires Delight (Harry Cobden), unbeaten this season until unseating last weekend, streaked away from the start, and the leading group was soon completed by Ravara Super Ted (Pippa Glanville), Bejowans Bouquet (Tina Smith) and Wee Anthony (Lucy Mager). These four pulled clear with Wee Anthony, waited with by Mager, producing a blistering run off the top bend. Bejowans Bouquet got within five lengths at the line with Ninfields Millionaires Delight and Ravara Super Ted, the latter probably conceding three or four stone in weight on the others, pushing for places. There was a race within a race further back and that group was tightly bunched with Tyler Heard just getting Ninfields Master Mink home in fifth after a great tussle.

Wee Anthony’s owner Richard Prince said: “We put Lucy on for the weight advantage. He has been ridden by three other riders recently who all ride at about eight stone and the weight is all important in flat racing. He has won well here today and needed every advantage to get home.”

Lucy’s most recent previous ride was a win at Kelso last week in the racecourse series on Mr Prince’s Angelic who was second at Towcester on Monday for Megan Nicholls.

138: 1, Wee Anthony, Lucy Mager; 2, Bejowans Bouquet, Tina Smith; 3, Ninfield Millionaires Delight, Harry Cobden; 4, Ravara Super Ted, Pippa Glanville, 5, Ninfields Master Mink, Tyler Heard. 10 ran, 5l, 7l, 2.05.

148: 1, Total Eclipse, Hannah Welch; 2, Tarka, Donald Comer Calder; 3, Jack Sparrow, Hugo Hunt; 4, Flareon, Heidi Lewis; 5, Annie, Barnaby Treneer; 6, Frantic Fox, Sophie Hodges 6 ran, 12l, 12l, 2.29.

The Devon and Cornwall area finals take place after racing at the Torrington Farmers Point to Point on June 18.