LOCAL trainers Nikki Evans and David Evans have both enjoyed recent places on the flat.

Nikki Evans saw 50/1 shot Kurimu defy the odds at Wolverhampton under jockey Liz Gale to place second in the £6,000 Book To Stay Wolverhampton Holiday Inn Handicap, pipping Havana Miss to third by a nose 4L behind winner Sam's Hope.

And the trainer, who is based at Penbiddle Racing Stables in Pandy, also saw 6/1 chance Angel's Call get up for third under Joe Leavy on the same course in the £6,000 betcalculator.com Handicap, finishing 3L behind winner and favourite Nordic Glory and 1 1/2L behind second-placed Red Walls in a 12-strong field.

Meanwhile at Lingfield, near neighbour David Evans, who trains at Ty-Derlwyn Farm, Pandy, sent out 16/1 shot Guernsey Lady under Ross Ryan to take third in the £7,500 Download The Racecourse App Raceday Ready Nursery Handicap.

The horse pressed the leaders in the final furlong to finish just over a length behind winner Cashbox, who won by a neck from its fellow joint favourite Star of Albion.

Meanwhile, Shirenewton trainer Grace Harris has entered promising colt Exclamation in the £150,000 William Hill Two Year Old Trophy, a Listed prize at Redcar, this Saturday (October 4).

Owned by Foxhills Racing Limited, he performed with credit at Royal Ascot in June before winning at Doncaster, which is where he headed this month for the Group 2 Flying Childers, where outrunning odds of 80-1, he finished fifth, beaten by just 3 1/4L.

Meanwhile, Chepstow Racecourse is gearing up for its first ever Dragonbet Welsh Racing Festival, the jump season opening meeting now over three days instead of two, from October 10-12.

Feature races include the Dragonbet Persian War Novices' Hurdle, the Wasdell Group Silver Trophy Handicap Hurdle and the DragonBet Proud Sponsor Of The Welsh Champion Hurdle, which had been previously run at Ffos Las.