THE Wales & West harness racing season under BHRC rules finally got under way at the prestigious Tregaron Spring meeting, with horses travelling from as far afield as Yorkshire to compete for the £1,000 final.

The recent bad weather has caused much depression and frustration for local trainers, but Cardiff-based Terry Laventure put all those nightmares behind him with a dream start to his 2000 campaign. He began with a convincing victory with Steven Jones' novice, Highbrooks Cobra, and then made it a double when the talented High Heel Sparks sprinted home in the Improver-Intermediate race by a wide margin, clocking the fastest time of the day.

The icing on the cake for the quiet and unassuming driver-trainer came in the Open Handicap final when Lee Morris' Howards End compensated for his narrow heat defeat and scorched home a length clear of the well-fancied Linden.

It was also a satisfying day for the area's leading lady driver, Sara Mould, who recorded a double with Scoot Sixty Six and Morfa Duke, the latter scoring his second win in five days.

Leominster driver Patrick Morris notched his first win of the year when Symlog Prince gamely stuck his head in front to take a competitive heat.

RESULTS

Going: Good. (All races over one mile).

Maiden 1: Scoot Sixty Six (Sara Mould), 2 Little Rose (Patrick Morris), 3 Boldren Buddy (Vikki Gill). 2:12.8 6l, 6l. 6 ran. Owned and trained by Brian Mould, Penkridge.

Div 2: 1 Scoots Melody (Joanne Taff), 2 Direct Distinction (Vikki Gill), 3 Tsar (Joss Edwards) 10 yds. 2:12.3. 2l, neck. 7 ran. Owned by Cynthia Taff, trained by Joanne Taff, Cannock.

Open handicap, heat 1: 1 Symlog Prince (Patrick Morris), 2 Linden (Joss Edwards), 3 Sourbrook Stanley (Glyn Slade-Jones). 2:09.0. Head, 10l. 9 ran. Owned and trained by Peter O. Davies, Aberystwyth.

Heat 2: 1 Morfa Duke (Sara Mould) 30 yds, 2 Baileys Please (Vikki Gill) 20 yds, 3 Kerry Rhiw (Roy Wilson). 2:10.4. 11/2l, 11/2l. 8 ran. Owned and trained by Brian Mould, Penkridge.

Heat 3: 1 Sunny Dancer (Huw Thomas), 2 Howards End (Terry Laventure), 3 Heathers Way (David Bevan). 2:11.6. Neck, 1l. 7 ran. Owned by Mair John, trained by Ronnie John, Tregaron.

Open final: 1 Howards End (Terry Laventure), 2 John Boy (Libby Lloyd) 10 yds, 3 Green Plover (Carl Davies). 2:7.3. 12l, 2l. Owned by C Parsons, trained by Terry Laventure, Cardiff.

Novice-Improvers: 1 Highbrooks Cobra (Terry Laventure), 2 Ceirion Again (Huw Thomas), 3 Johnny Springbok (David Bevan). 2:10.7. 4l, 4l. 8 ran. Owned by Steven Jones, trained by Terry Laventure, Cardiff.

Roy Pugh Memorial improvers-intermediate: 1 High Heel Sparks (Terry Laventure), 2 John Boy (Libby Lloyd) 10 yds, 3 Green Plover (Carl Davies). 2:7.3. 12l, 2l. Owned by C. Parsons, trained by Terry Laventure, Cardiff.

Next meeting: Sunday, May 14: Leominster, 2 p.m