PEMBROKESHIRE jump jockey Richard Patrick has won the Richard Davis Award.

The award, named after a talented young rider who died from injuries suffered in a fall at Southwell Racecourse in 1996, goes to the most successful conditional jockey riding at Cheltenham, Chepstow, Hereford, Ludlow, Stratford, Towcester, Warwick and Worcester between May 2018 and April 2019.

This really does seem to be the start of a golden age for young Welsh jockeys, with riders like the Bowen brothers, Connor Brace, Jack Tudor, Charlie Price and Richard Patrick really making names for themselves.

Chepstow trainer Grace Harris sent Just Glamorous out to perform on the biggest of stages on Saturday. The sprinter lined up in the prestigious Epsom Dash, the race immediately before the Derby. The race is billed as one of the fastest in the world, and the world record for 5 furlongs was set in this race in 2012. Just Glamorous ran a really good race, he finished 11 of 19, beaten just 2 lengths at 25/1.

The Derby itself went to trainer Aidan O'Brien for a record equalling seventh time. Such is his domination of flat racing at the highest level he was responsible for 7 of the 13 runners and the winner Anthony van Dyck was only his third string in betting terms.

Aidan O'Brien and the Coolmore operation for whom he trains are already responsible for the winners of 3 of the 5 Classics this year with only the St Leger left to run, and O'Brien currently trains 4 of the top 5 in the betting for this race! Thankfully, for a bit of balance, Friday's Oaks, which is the fillies' equivalent to the Derby, went to the Frankie Dettori ridden and John Gosden trained Anapurna, just beating the Aidan O'Brien runner Pink Dogwood by a neck.

Coolmore Stud, which breeds most of the O'Brien horses, stands (among many others) the champion sire and Derby winner Galileo. Anthony Van Dyck is Galileo's fourth Derby winning son. With 12 of the 13 Derby runners' pedigree showing Galileo as either the sire, grandsire or great-grandsire, Coolmore's success and domination of flat racing looks set to continue for many years.

However, with close finishes to both the Oaks and the Derby, there is no standout looking 3 year old for the summer's middle distance races like the Irish Oaks and Derby, at Royal Ascot and beyond, so it will be interesting to see if any of the beaten horses can turn the tables during the summer.

This Saturday evening Madness perform at Chepstow Racecourse. Tickets are still available online or via the racecourse office. The band put on a great show at Ffos Las a fortnight ago and we're looking forward to another fun evening. Gates open at 3pm, with racing taking place from 6pm till 9pm, and Madness taking to the stage at about 9.15pm.