CROWDS flocked to the first harness racing meeting under BHRC rules at Leominster, where the sport was as sizzling as the sunshine.

The 10-race card saw some dramatic moments, with a couple of spills among the thrills.

Last season’s regional champion driver, Colin Bevan, picked himself up out of the dust twice during the afternoon.

Gloucester-based Ivor Stokle set the pace for the meeting when his useful Emma’s Pearl sprinted clear on her seasonal debut in a very quick time. Lee Price’s promising Bon Robert went even faster in the first division of the maiden, and the action just accelerated.

Mark Pritchard sent Nigel Lewis’ Hartha Canute out of the gate like a missile in the six-furlong sprint and she just held on for a narrow victory.

Sarah Mould employed similar tactics with Zorro in a later race to delight her mother Lyn, the owner and trainer.

The easiest winner of the day was Macinaminute, driven by David Langford, who later recorded a double with Brywin’s Beama.

Mike Evans is one of several decent young drivers involved in the sport and he clocked the fastest time of the day with Meadowbranch Nadia.

Eighteen-year-old Rhys Evans also kept a cool head in the feature mile-and-a-quarter race, producing Real Deal with a late challenge who just edged out the rising star, Ja Ja Binks (Wesley Jones) at the wire.

Next Meetings: Sunday at Leominster, Sunday, June 14 at Walton, both 2pm.

Results. Going: Fast ‘C’ CLASS DRIVER’S RACE: 1 Emma’s Pearl (Ivor Stokle); 2 Symlog Immortelle (Mike Evans); 3 What About Me (Emma Langford). 2:09.5. 2L, neck. Owned & trained by Ivor Stokle, Gloucester.

GRADE 0 DIV 1: 1 Bon Robert (Lee Price); 2 Lady Surprise (Mike Evans); 3 Scorchio (Alan Westwood) 2.7.5. 1/2L, 6L. Owned & trained by Lee Price, Builth Wells.

DIV 2: 1 Macinaminute (David Langford); 2 My Lightning Blue (Jason Podmore); 3 Artribute (Julian Price) 2:09.2. 10L,11/2L. Owned by A.A Jones, trained by David Langford, Pontardawe.

GRADES 1 & 2, DIV 1: 1 Meadowbranch Nadia (Mike Evans); 2 Dark Fox (Colin Bevan); 3 Beretta Scarlet (Martin Till). 2:05.7. 4L, 3L. Owned by R C Evans, trained by Bill Evans, West Wales.

SIX FURLONGS: 1 Hartha Canute (Mark Pritchard); 2 Sherwood Jasper (Jason Podmore); 3 Merry Baron(Rachel Jenkins)10 yds. 1.36.3. Head, 4L. Owned by Nigel Lewis, trained by Mark Pritchard. Boughrood.

GRADE 3: 1 Cool Pasa (Martin Till); 2 Saunders Pageboy (David Bevan); 3 Symlog Immortelle (Mark Pritchard) 2:09.2 head, head. Owned & trained by John Till, Leicester.

GRADES 1&2 DIV 2: 1 Vyrnwy Fantasy (Chris Heaton); 10 yds: 2 Big Tom ( Jason Podmore) 10 yds; 3 Caenwood Slipaway (Julian Price). 2:6.3. 4L, 4L. Owned by L Fresson, trained by Chris Heaton, Derbyshire.

GRADE 4+: 1 Brywin’s Beama (David Langford); 2 Wellfield William (Gary Wakefield)10 yds; 3 Scoot For Sure (Ricky Haines). 2:08.0. Neck, 1/2L. Owned by G Williams, trained by David Langford, Pontardawe.

GRADES 1 & 2 DIV 3: 1 Zorro (Sarah Mould); 2 Hilltop Nani (Julian Price); 3 Spring Ruby (Lee Vaughan). 2.9.8, 3L, 11/2L. Owned & trained by Lyn Mould, Penkridge.

MILE AND A QUARTER: 1 Real Deal (Rhys Evans) 10 yds: 2 Ja Ja Binks (Wesley Jones) 10 yds; 3 Raise A Smile (Gareth Price)20 yds. 2:42.3. Neck, 2L. Owned & trained by Huw Evans, Tregaron.