GLYN ACHIEVES ANOTHER AMBITION!

Lyonshall man, Glyn Slade-Jones rode his first winner of the 2004 point-to-point season to achieve a burning ambition this weekend. Glyn is well-known on the harness racing circuits and in 2002 was the Wales & West leading saddle race rider and leading Herefordshire-based driver. However, despite little involvement with thoroughbred racing, he decided that he would like to ride a point-to-point winner before his 40th birthday last year. Ably tutored by Shobdon trainer, Steve Flook, an ex-champion on the Wales & West harness racing circuits, Glyn rode his first winner on Bold Statement at the Brecon point-to-point last year, the day after the milestone birthday. This was only his third ride between the flags. "But I really wanted to ride a winner on my own horse," he explained, and ex-French horse Guignol Du Cochet was purchased at Ascot to this end. Glyn, who has a meat-food specialist shop in Kington, has invested much time in riding out and schooling at Steve Flook's in an effort to attain the fitness needed for race riding. His debut ride of 2004 at Barbary Castle resulted in a creditable fifth position but a severe rebuke from his trainer who felt he could have done better! At the Midlands Hunt Club point-to-point at Thorpe Lodge, near Newark on February 1st, Glyn and Guignol Du Cochet followed instructions to the letter to stroll in by five lengths in a ten runner PPORA race for novice riders. "I used the same tactics as I would in harness races to break up the field, and it worked!" he exulted. Guignol Du Cochet is now on target for a prestigious hunter 'chase at Haydock, Glyn's next dream. "But I'll be back for the harness racing season!" he warned cheerfully.