With the run up to the festive period in full swing, Fontwell park billed it’s festive raceday and added a Severn race card to boot.
Sandwiched between two weekends of Grade A national hunt action, the racing was of good quality. The addition of a racegoers Christmas jumper competition also brightened the spirts of the well attended midweek crowd
A two mile novices hurdle started proceedings, with the
going reported as being very testing for
all runners, it was left to four year old filly Katie Too, by Kings
Theatre to pick up the race.
Jockey Wayne Hutchinson said ‘ we’ve always liked this filly, having won
her bumper at Newbury, and know winning over hurdles.’ This filly trained by
in form master Alan King, only on her third outing is surely one to watch as
time goes on.
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| Katie Too |
Five runners took to the field for the two mile three
furlong handicap steeple chase. The pace from the start a strong one soon had
the field well strung out. Zero Visibility coming to the the last tired, but
well clear of the remaining few runners, hardly took off and gave jockey Adam
Wedge no chance.
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| Zero Visibility |
It was left to Nick Gifford trained Toohighforme to take the
race uncontested. Top Fontwell jockey Tom Cannon said,’ two out i was
wondering if my fella was going to make it home himself. The blinkers helped,
and he will come on from this run.’
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| Toohighforme |
A two mile one furlong juvenile hurdle saw trainer Gary
Moore welcomed back into the winners enclosure with top weight Darebin.
The three year old, who is a bit of a nervous type, settled, and beat his rival Extreme appeal by eleven lengths
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| Darebin. |
Jockey Jamie Moore asked about stable superstar Sire De Grugy, after his success at the
weekend in the Tingle Creek ‘ He’s fine, the whole family are very happy, i was
ridding him out in the dark at 6 AM this morning, even a van driver who passed
me recognised him. He’s so relaxed even put his head through the cab door for
him to have a stroke.’
The feature race of the day, a three mile one furlong chase.
Top weight, David pipe trained Alternatif
Scudamore said ‘ he’s a nice young sort that
will make a nice staying chaser, we tried something a bit different today and
it worked.’
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| Alternatif |
Trainer Chris Gordon, has’nt had too much to sing about the
past few months, had Superciliary win the two mile one handicap hurdle. The
25-1 shot, beat favourite Tickity Bleue by eleven lengths in third under jockey
Tommy Dowling.
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| Superciliary |
The last chase of the afternoon, a two mile five furlong
event saw Lucy Wadham trained Amidon, under
Leighton Aspell beat Vic De Touzaine by a length.
Aspell asked about Many Clouds after the weekend ‘ wer’re
happy, he needed the run and it proved it. The national still is the aim.’
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| Amidon |
Thepartysover,
saw that Fontwell’s festive party was definitely over, as the ten year old
trained by Paul Henderson and ridden by jockey Tom O’brien who has had good
success at the Sussex track this season win the last.
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| Thepartysover |
Beating the Lady fro Geneva by sixteen lengths, the horse
with 56 runs under his belt took his
fifth win of his career.
More images and blog reports from Fontwell and other racing events can be seen at
