Sir WW Wynn
Bangor-on-Dee
Sunday 9th March 2008
by Arthur Shone

The Sir W.W. Wynn Hunt have attracted a bumper entry of 209 for their fixture between the flags this Sunday March 9 th 2008 at Bangor on Dee racecourse and because of the large number of entries declared the Open Maiden and the Novice Riders race has been divided, making a total of 9 races on the afternoon. Normally this meeting has 35 minutes between races, but with a 9 race card, the times have been reduced to 30 minutes between each contest.

Racing comes under starters orders at 12noon and is set to conclude at 4.00pm.

Admission to the North Wales course is £25 per car regardless of the number of occupants. Single occupancy of a vehicle will be charged £15 and pedestrians are charged at £8 per person.

Clerk of the course Ed Gretton lists the going as Good on Tuesday 4 th March. He says, “ The going is now Good, Good to Firm in places after a mainly dry and windy weekend. There is a chance of some rain on Thursday night and Saturday, and any watering decisions will be made on Thursday/Friday.”

One of the feature races on the card is the Men’s Open, the first horse past, the judge is eligible to run in the £10,000 Volkswagaon Touareg championship final at Towcester on Monday May 12 th 2008. One of the main contenders will be the Jessica Scott trained Jakari, the French bred gelding will be seeking a hat trick after comfortable back to back victories at Chaddesley Corbett and Eyton on Severn. Others to note include Go For Bust, Would Wouldn,t, Flashy Boy ,Von Origny and Cornish Rebel who is now trained by Ginger McCain, a good race in prospect.

The Wynnstay Hunt celebrate 150 years of a very notable landmark at Bangor on Dee racecourse, as the track today owes its very existence today to two former members of the Wynnstay Hunt. In 1858 a match across country on the meadows at Bangor on Dee, between the Hon Lloyd Kenyon and Richard Biddulph of Chirk Castle, drew a huge crowd of spectators. The event proved such a success that it was decided that in future a days racing was to be arranged by the members of the Wynnstay Hunt, so on Tuesday February 25 th 1859 the first steeplechase meeting took place at Bangor on Dee, where it is still going strong to this day.