MID Wales & Border Counties Harness racing held a fixture at Allensmore for the first time in 20 years on Saturday.

A wonderful afternoon's racing was enjoyed by the enthusiastic public after the Lawrence family came to the rescue following the cancellation at Newbridge.

Two nursery races started the afternoon, with Bets All Off securing a win in the first, while Krakatoa gave valuable experience to his new driver by winning the second nursery.

The first races for the punters were the novice heats.

The first one saw ex-steeplechase jockey Wayne Knox from Pandy with his impressive horse The Chancer ran on to win from the well respected Ook Who's Coming (Evans, Brecon) while the impressive Cool Ice (Gething, Ewyas Harold) was third. The stablemate Rhyds Panalulah (Gething, Ewyas Harold) has run exceptionally well during the last few weeks and again took top honours in the second novice heat with his trainer Derek Pritchard at the controls.

In second place was the consistent Lanehouse Patch (Thomas, Merthyr) while Danny Blue (Peters, Longwood) ran well in third.

The Grade B was a straight race, with Made in Wales who has recently changed hands, now in the Hawkes of Llanddewi stable taking the race under the guidance of Mathew Tromans.

In second place was another impressive run for Chinatown Samuel (Moorhouse, Llandinam) while Brywins Jo Jo (Jones, Ammanford) was third.

In the first Grade A heat, the diminutive Rebus (Thomas, Rhymney), driven as usual by Mark Evans, was first passed the post ahead of the grey Ayr Hero (Bevan Llanddewi), while another grey Krakatoa (Knox, Pandy) was third.

Habberley Playboy (Gittins/Johns, Shrewsbury) ran a great race in the second A heat to win, from the people’s favourite grey Scoobys Dream (Williams, Brecon) while the improving Meadowland Hasty (Price, Brecon) was third.

Beg for Mercy is a lovely little mare who is quietly enhancing her reputation, winning her first Baby Novice as usual driven by owner Mathew Tromans from Newcastle Emlyn.

In second was another well fancied horse Garth Vader (Williams, Brecon) while newly promoted Bets All Off (Sergent, Howey) was third.

In the second Baby Novice it was C U Maggie (Bevan, Llanddewi), another mare enjoying her first win, with Mel Langford in the seat who came home in front of Hilltop Recon (Lloyd, New Radnor) while the improving Afanbellsprincess (Jones, Cribyn) came third.

In the Novice final, it was the winner of the first heat, The Chancer (Knox, Pandy) who romped home ahead of the fast finishing Rhyds Panalulah (Gething, Ewyas Harold) while Lanehouse Patch (Thomas, Merthyr) notched up another third.

Five horses lined up for the Junior race which included the return from injury of Izzy John from Llangunllo who partnered Nia Patrol.

The winner was the hard pulling Wellfield Wally with Rachel Bevan-Thomas on board just coming home in front of the young Jets Girl (Langford, Onibury) and Ceri Bevan, while in third was Jess Samuel from Newchurch driving the family’s Camden Lock.

The grade A final completed the afternoon’s racing in which little Rebus (Thomas, Rhymney) driven by Mark Evans stormed up the home straight to claim the win from the ever popular twelve-year-old Scoobys Dream (Williams, Brecon) while Habberley Playboy (Gittins & Johns, Shrewsbury) had to settle for third.

Next week’s racing is on Bank Holiday Monday when the Llandrindod committee stage their fixture at the Penybont track starting at 1.30pm.