Rowley and Lewis Eye Bright Racing Seasons: Malaita and Gris Majeur Lead the Charge

Mel Rowley and Sheila Lewis are hopeful of positive seasons ahead with Rowley outlining a more challenging campaign for star mare Malaita.

She landed a lovely prize of £26,015 when winning a valuable handicap at Cheltenham last year and the Shropshire based trainer now feels the time is right to move into stronger races.

Rowley Targets Stronger Races for Malaita

“Malaita is on very good form, we will be putting on our big boy pants and aiming a little higher this year, looking at some of the bigger races. We just haven’t finished working things out yet. She’s come back into work really well, very strong,” Rowley told SportsBoom.com. 

Rowley recorded a career-best 19 winners last term, but has started the 24/25 season superbly, already having nine winners to date.

She appears to have a nice horse on her hands with Highly Recommended who took a big step forward when winning a novice hurdle at Ludlow. 

Rowley said: “We knew he was well, the way he finished the last day at Worcester he had plenty left in the tank, so we were hopeful he would come on for the run. The ground was certainly more suitable today, so we were quietly hopeful!”

There is plenty more to come from the yard with many of Rowley’s best horses likely to be seen in the coming weeks.

“We have 40 horses in the yard under license. Some of the older horses, Raffle ticket for example, has also come back well, we are hopeful he can continue his winning ways and there are some nice younger horses coming through.”

“We have been quiet up to now, but it will soon start ramping up and things will happen quickly.”

Lewis Off to a Winning Start with Iron D’ex

Brecon based Lewis recorded nine wins in the 23/24 season, matching the return from the 22/23 campaign. 

She will be aiming to reproduce form from her 20/21 campaign where she recorded 12 winners under rules.

The team is already off the mark for the season after Iron D’ex landed a competitive handicap chase at Ludlow and Lewis praised the owners who support her, as well as running through how her crop of horses shape up for the year.

Lewis said: “Iron D’ex had been going really well at home and is a nice horse. He was going okay over hurdles and if you look at his novice runs, he ran a great race when placing at Hereford. 

“He’s always been around the 108 mark but went off the boil at the end of the last year because of the weather. So, his last runs were pulled up but that wasn’t fair to him.”