Pink Eyed Pedro, an eight-year-old bay gelding owned, trained and bred by David Brace OBE of the Dunraven Stud at Pyle, near Bridgend, ran out an easy eleven
lengths winner of the Dunraven Bowl Novices' Hunter Chase at Chepstow Racecourse on Friday evening and in the process gave sponsor Brace his first success in the race
since it was first staged in 1996.
Brilliantly ridden by Merthyr Mawr's Jack Tudor, whose father Jonathan trained the 2017 winner Repeat Business, Pink Eyed Pedro, backed from 4-1 to 11-4, was held up in the early stages and challenged the odds-on favourite TheGirlFromMilan, who made several jumping errors, under Wales' leading point-to-point rider Bradley Gibbs, four fences from the finish and went on to win easily by eleven lengths.
The Mickey Bowen trained Fateh, ridden by Peter Bryan who had won last year's race on Tinkers Hill Tommy, finished a further 16 lengths back in third place, Accordini was fourth, Moreece was fifth and Mister Robbo and GoWell were both pulled-up.
Tudor, who is making a bold bid for the national novice riders' championship, said of his mount, "He was just great and he's a very brave horse."
The reception given to the winning connections almost lifted the roof of the grandstand and the cheering started when Pink Eyed Pedro took the lead and went on for some time afterwards and it wasn't just because those in the crowd had backed the winner.
"Bracey", as David Brace is popularly known, has done a tremendous amount for point-to-point and Welsh horse racing over many years and Welsh hunt-racing enthusiasts will rejoice in the fact that his well-known and popular black and red racing colours have finally won the one race that all Welsh owners, trainers and riders strive to win.