GWENT trainers did well on the rain-lashed holiday weekend, especially if their name was Harris, writes Jim Beavis.

Bath’s Good Friday meeting was reduced to just four races after heavy rain rendered the home turn unusable.

Liverpudlian jockey Franny Norton went through the card, partnering all four winners. It wasn’t the first time he’d ridden four in a day, and he rued the fact that the other races couldn’t take place as he fancied his chances in them as well!

Ron Harris provided two of the four. First was his useful mare Under The Covers.

“She'd done plenty of work,” the trainer explained. "She came back to me a lot lighter than when we started last year. She's won a maiden here and won at Newbury on soft ground. The key to her is her toughness. She ploughs through this when the others can't cope with it.”

Harris and Norton struck again with The Daley Express in a five furlong handicap. The ground had become very heavy by now, but as the jockey said afterwards, “We know this horse is better over six but today played to his forte.”

He said it was his only mount that day that actually finished running – “the rest have been on their knees.”

At Ffos Las on Sunday Ron’s near neighbour Grace Harris trained Maguire’s Glen to win the two and a half mile chase. Testing going is not a must for him, and as he was coming off a break he could carry on running into the spring, should it ever arrive. His previous win for the yard was by ten lengths over Ramses De Teillee, who won subsequently won twice at Chepstow.

Bernard Llewellyn’s Never Equalled gamely outstayed the opposition to land the two and a half mile hurdle, his third win on the course. He’s proven in heavy going and his willing attitude meant that the jockey’s loss of his whip between the last two flights made no difference to the result.

Jamie Moore and Kerry Lee appealed successfully against their fines under the non-triers role resulting from Kings Monarch’s performance at Chepstow two weeks ago. The appeal panel considered evidence not available to the local stewards and decided the horse had been ridden to obtain the best possible placing in the circumstances given his history of bleeding and having raced keenly previously.

On Easter Monday Last Page, being tried over six furlongs for the first time by David Evans, showed admirable battling qualities by regaining the lead after being headed inside the final furlong. This was at Wolverhampton, the only meeting left in England and Wales after rain had decimated the Bank Holiday programme.

Chepstow’s fixture was called off after an inch of rain overnight, which made the already partially waterlogged course unraceable.

Having arranged an extensive array of entertainment under the heated Big Top, management took the decision that morning to let it go ahead, with free entry for anyone on a first come first served basis.

The response was dramatic; the attractions were so popular that the “house full” signs had to be put up at 1.00, a full two hours before the headline act Mister Maker was due to take the stage. The rain clouds had a silver lining after all.

Their next race meeting is on Grand National Day, Saturday the 14th.