The sun was on the 2026 Bangor-On-Dee Ladies Day fixture, with a seven-race card, Best Dressed competition, and live DJ set from Toby Anstis providing something for everyone. The feature race came at 4:10pm in a competitive Class 2 Handicap Chase, with ground conditions consistently Good throughout the afternoon.
Race 1 – Bangor-On-Dee Ladies Day Maiden Hurdle (GBB Race) (Class 4, 4yo+, 2m ½f)
An appropriately named winner, Ladies Day (4/7F) justified market support in fine style when taking the opening race, landing short odds by 7 lengths for Jack Andrews and Tom Ellis. Prominent from the outset, Ladies Day raced in second place for much of the way, content to allow Double Indemnity (4/1) to dictate from the front. Travelling notably well as the leader negotiated three-out, Ladies Day moved up with menace around the home turn, and after stepping over the final two obstacles well enough, the talented 5-year-old came readily clear to secure a first win of the new season for Jack Andrews!
Race 2 – Wrexham Lager Novices’ Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 4, 5yo+, 2m 4 ½f)
Stepped up in trip for the first time, Le Gentleman (4/1) came home a most impressive winner of the second race, bounding clear by 11 lengths to score for Toby Wynne and the Greenall-Guerriero team. Racing in last, Le Gentleman played the waiting game through the opening couple of miles, jumping well as Bobbarelli (11/4F) set the pace. Quickly gathering momentum after three-out, Le Gentleman came into his own around the final bend, stalking his way into it as Mary (9/2) took the lead. However, after a crashing fall from Mary left him clear over the final obstacle, Le Gentleman picked up the pieces in style, nudged out to land a sixth course win of the year for Toby Wynne!
Race 3 – Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet Handicap Hurdle (Class 4, 4yo+, 2m 3 ½f)
At the double in fine style, the Greenall-Guerriero team landed their second winner of the day when Crystal Glance (9/2) ran out a 5-length winner of Race 3, with Toby Wynne once again doing the steering. Always in touch, Crystal Glance raced prominently through the opening two miles, allowing habitual front-runner Rock Hurley (9/1) to assume his usual position. Nudged along with half a mile to go, Crystal Glance picked up strongly once in the clear, fighting her way to the front around the home turn before storming away to thwart a staying-on Copper Beach (100/30) in second. Operating at a 27% strike-rate, Greenall & Guerriero now have 8 winners from 30 runners this season!
Race 4 – F Jones Initiative Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 4, 5yo+, 2m 1 ½f)
Admirably consistent, Gris Majeur (9/1) continued his solid form with a taking victory in the fourth race, jumping soundly on his way to a 4 ¼ length success for Sean Houlihan and Sheila Lewis. Mid-division for the majority of the contest, Gris Majeur jumped well in the main, no more than a couple of lengths behind class-dropper Nibras Gold (9/4F) as the field entered the final half mile. Pushed along into the home straight, Gris Majeur briefly looked unlikely to overhaul the longtime leader. However, as push came to shove, Gris Majeur stayed on best of all, pulling out more in the final furlong to score for reigning Scottish National winner Sean Houlihan, who rode Kap Vert to victory in April!
Race 5 – Bangor-On-Dee Handicap Chase (GBB Race) (Class 2, 5yo+, 3m)
Well found in the market, Somespring Special (7/4F) returned home a determined winner of the feature race, ridden out by Ben Jones to secure a 1 ½ length victory for Philip Hobbs & Johnson White. Another to race prominently, Somespring Special was never too far away from the leader Lounge Lizard (50/1), jumping and travelling sweetly alongside Cruz Control (4/1) down the far side. Making rapid headway on the swing for home, victory soon looked certain for Somespring Special, and after some neat jumping in the straight kept her in the clear, the leader just needed to be pushed out to score for the Yeo Racing Partnership, former owners of classy mare Swincombe Flame!
Race 6 – Tom Jones Live At Chester Racecourse Mares’ Handicap Hurdle (Class 5, 4yo+, 2m 7f)
Off the mark at Ffos Las on her previous run, Camshaft (100/30F) showed her liking for Welsh racetracks when running out a tidy 3 ¼ length winner of Race 6, landing the spoils for the O’Neill family. Swiftly into the lead, Camshaft was keen to hold her position from the outset under Jonjo O’Neill Jr, setting a modest tempo out in front with Victoria Milano (4/1) in behind. A race where little changed, Camshaft still held the advantage over Victoria Milano by the time they made their way into the final quarter mile, and despite the best efforts of the latter, Camshaft was much too good in the end. A team to be feared, the O’Neills also won the County Hurdle at Cheltenham this year with Wilful!
Race 7 – Wrexham Evening On Friday 26th June Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race (GBB Race) (Class 4, 4-5yo, 2m ½f)
Coming out on top in a tight finish, Lady Coco (15/8F) did just enough to score on racecourse debut when landing the finale by a head, ridden out by Sam Twiston-Davies for trainer Henry Daly. Sitting in midfield through the opening mile and a half, Lady Coco
moved well towards the outside of Magnifix Du Moulin (100/30) and Bourbon Girl (11/2), the tightly bunched trio just behind the leaders on the approach to the home turn. Moving past longtime leader Phantom Of Delight (11/2), the chasing trio all locked horns around a quarter mile from home, with a sustained battle only just going the way of Lady Coco in a three-way photo at the line. Connections with history here, the same owner and trainer also won this race in 2017 with subsequent Listed scorer Chilli Filli!
Race report by Adam Perkins
