Pink Eyed Pedro, owned, trained and bred by David Brace of the Dunraven Stud at Pyle, near Bridgend, ran out an easy 11-lengths winner of the Dunraven Bowl Novices’ Hunter Chase at Chepstow (writes Brian Lee).

The eight-year-old bay gelding gave sponsor Brace his first success in the race since it was first staged in 1996.

Pink Eyed Pedro was brilliantly ridden by Merthyr Mawr’s Jack Tudor, whose father Jonathan trained the 2017 winner Repeat Business.

The winner, backed from 4-1 to 11-4, was held up in the early stages and challenged odds-on favourite TheGirlFromMilan, who had made several jumping errors under Wales’ leading point-to-point rider Bradley Gibbs.

The Mickey Bowen-trained Fateh, ridden by Peter Bryan who won last year’s race on Tinkers Hill Tommy, finished a further 16 lengths back in third place.

Accordini was fourth, Moreece fifth, while Mister Robbo and GoWell were both pulled up.

Check out all our fantastic winners from our @DunravenWindows Race Night yesterday 👏🏇🏆 #Winners pic.twitter.com/KRqZpNVOJK

— Chepstow Racecourse (@Chepstow_Racing) April 27, 2019

Tudor, who is making a bold bid for the national novice riders’ championship, said of his mount: “He was just great, a very brave horse.”

The reception given to the winning connections seemed close to lifting the roof of the grandstand. Cheering started when Pink Eyed Pedro took the lead and went on for some time afterwards.

‘Bracey’, as David Brace is popularly known, has done a tremendous amount for point-to-point and Welsh horse racing over many years.

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.

Chepstow’s first evening meeting of the year, and its final jumps racing of the 2018-19 season, benefited from 20mm of rain since the previous fixture. This changed the going to good, good to soft in places.

The action began with 13 runners for a 3m2f chase, which culminated in a great finish.

Favourite, Conas Taoi, took the lead three out, only to be joined soon after by Dont Be Robin.

That pair battled their way up the straight with Midnight Magic close behind on the rails, going well and waiting till after the last to make his move. 

However, his challenge couldn’t peg back Dont Be Robin (7/1), who didn’t want to give up his hard-won lead and he held on by a neck. Jonathan Burke rode the winner for Dorset trainer Richenda Ford.

In the 2m4f novices hurdle Alrightjack led until the third last, when the Philip Hobbs-trained Jatiluwih (4/6 fav) took over.

One tap from his rider David Maxwell sent him two or three lengths clear, travelling comfortably. He seemed fully in command, but on the long run to the final flight Alrightjack rallied and got closer and closer. 

Hearing the shouts from the crowd, Maxwell looked round for dangers only to choose the wrong side first, which added to the excitement. 

On the short run-in he had to ride out Jatiluwih to scramble home by a head.

Fantastic celebrations last night when Welsh owner/trainer David Brace ⁦finally won the race he’s sponsored for 24 years, the ⁦@DunravenWindows⁩ Bowl – Pink Eyed Pedro was the horse that made history ridden by ⁦@jacktudor9⁩ – congratulations to all concerned! pic.twitter.com/g7y6Y8lZFO

— Chepstow Racecourse (@Chepstow_Racing) April 27, 2019

Grey Diamond (6/4 fav) took the 2m maiden hurdle. Owned by Dai Walters and trained by Alan King, he was keen early on and set a pretty brisk pace under Wayne Hutchinson.  

Yet after taking a breather going into the far turn he powered back up the home straight and finished full of running.

Six closely matched rivals went to post for a 2m4f chase. Keep Moving (8/1), ridden by James Best, gave the Philip Hobbs yard a double.

He hit the front three out and just lasted home from the staying-on Triple Chief. There was a diminishing length and a half between them at the line.

Air De Rock probably would have played a part in the finish, but for unseating his jockey at the final open ditch.

Jeremy Scott’s team have had their best ever season and their Espalion was made 7/4 favourite in a field of 18 for the 2m4f hurdle to repeat his recent course and distance success.

Iron Horse kicked on about six furlongs out and put on an extra spurt in the home straight that left all bar Espalion struggling.

Rex Dingle inexorably made up ground on the favourite, who jumped the last boldly and stayed on stoutly to beat the rallying, well-named Iron Horse by a length and a half.

It was getting quite murky by the time the consistent Delface won the seventh race, a 2m hurdle, for the David Pipe-Tom Scudamore combination. 

The 7/2 joint favourite had shadowed the leader Bardd for some time, taking over in front two out.  Both of them fluffed the final flight, but Delface was the stronger and ran on well to win by two lengths.