Flint & Denbigh
Bangor-on-Dee
Sunday 13th April 2008
by Arthur Shone

The Flint & Denbigh Hunt have attracted 141 entries for their fixture between the flags at Bangor on Dee this Sunday April 13th 2008, which should ensure plenty of runners at the North Wales course.

Racing comes under starters orders at 2.00pm with the combined Members race, and is set to conclude at 5.40pm with the Restricted contest.

Clerk of the course Ed Gretton lists the going as Good with Good to Soft patches on Monday April 7th 2008.

Admission to this popular Welsh course is £25 per car, regardless of the number of passengers with single occupancy charged at £15, pedestrians £8.

The feature race on the card is the Volkswagen Toaureg Men’s Open, the first two horses passed the judge qualify for the £10,000 Volkswagen Toaureg Hunt Chase Final at Towcester on Monday May 12th 2008.Amongst the 15 entries are Shady Anne, from the inform Gordie Edwards yard, the mare ran out an easy winner at Eyton, and will run here before going on to the Bangor Final, a race the trainer has won three times in the past. Adams Wine, a winner at Tabley yesterday, Would Wouldn’t, Fresh Love and Le Seychellois are others for the short list

The Flint & Denbigh hunt is steeped in tradition and history. In 1896 they held a point to point meeting at Brynffynon, Rhyddlan on a Tuesday afternoon, which featured just three races. The first was a welterweight race over three and a half miles, which was won by Mr C C Alletson’s Tangible. The next race was a match, oddly enough both horses were called Nancy. This race was over two miles and Henry Robert’s Nancy finished ahead of Percy Haywoods mare of the same name.

However the episode which caused the most excitement and controversy came in the final race on the card the Lightweight contest, which was won by Owen J Williams’ Nimrod and ridden by Robert Wynn. A horse called Emerald had an horrific fall in the race and broke his neck. But on the advice of Professor Williams of Edinburgh who happened to be attending the meeting, the horse was not put down. Professor Williams was regarded as the most eminent veterinary surgeon of his day, especially in equine matters. Despite extensive research on my part, I cannot find any proof that Williams managed to save the poor beast.