On good ground Fontwell Park delivered a seven race evening
meeting card to start the good people of East Sussex off to a blinding start to
their Bank Holiday weekend.
The arrival of Richard Johnson, who now starts his new
National Hunt season in his rightful place as champion jockey, and with a fine
selection of booked rides, looked like the party was set to continue.
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| Rolling Dough, Joshua Moore |
The first race was set off at a strong pace for a two and half mile Handicap Hurdle.
Diana Grissell’s Rolling Dough, Joshua Moore on board kept on well on the flat to keep Charlie Longstons Midnight gem at bay by a length and a half.
The race less than competitive seemed to suit the eight year old mare. Moore mentioning that a drop in weights and the better ground played into the mares hands.
Jockeys coming back in from the first all mentioning the ground to be good fast jumping ground.
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| Rolling Dough, Joshua Moore winning the first race at Fontwell
The two mile one furlong handicap steeple chase saw six
runners take to the start.
Richard Johnson on the 85/40 favourite Quadriller
trained by Phillip Hobbs made the newly crowned champion work for his first win
back in the new national Hunt Campaign.
Mistakes in Jumping made Johnson have
to pressure the nine year old on the flat to take his fourth win from twenty
one starts.
Quadriller
Enthusiastic punters gathered to pay their appreciation to
the newly crowned top jockey as he entered the winner’s enclosure.
Johnson mentioned, ‘this is a horse that will have a nice
summer campaign in two mile chases, he has had the winter off so is ready to
crack on know.’
Quadriller , Richard Johnson the new Champion jockey lead at the last
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Jamie Snowdon’s Jamie Snowdon’s Edbani the 11/4 favourite was tuned over
into second place in the two mile three furlong maiden hurdle.
Valiant Creek
ridden by Kieran Woods, trained by Alex Hales rallied on well up the Fontwell
hill to retake the lead from the favourite by the line. Half a length
separated the two as the 8/1 shot took his race.
The seven year old unseating seven days before at Warwick
looked the all over winner, Kieran mentioning that on the day connections
really fancied the win, a fall or unseat was the only thing to beat him.
‘The top four horses in that race will win a race, the
Henderson horse (Minstrel Royal, in third) is rated about 12 lbs higher than
mine. But my fella will go out and win again on fast ground.’
Valiant Creek ridden by Kieran Woods, trained by Alex Hales
The favourite though prevailed in the two mile five furlong
handicap chase, Mercers Court, trained by Neil King, ridden by Trevor Whelan
rallied on well under a pressured ride by Whelan to beat Buttergrove King on
the line by a neck.
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| Mercers Court (left) Rokinrobin (right) |
‘This would be the first race we haven’t turned for home on
the bridle,’ mentioned the jockey. ‘He is a honest, up and coming sort, this
trip is fine for him and over fences as it doesn’t stretch him too much.’
The 9/4 favourite though did seem to struggle a little in
this particular contest but should not be ignored too much in further contests.
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| Mercers Court, trained by Neil King, ridden by Trevor Whelan
The feature hurdle race, the £6000 two mile one furlong
handicap. Was won in fine style by Banyu. Trained by Phillip Hobbs on a double
for the evening with his stable jockey on board Richard Johnson, the five year
old with three wins now from seven starts dominated the race throughout.
Stylishly driven out by Johnson the 2/1 favourite looked
impressive as he strode up the hill to the line.
‘He has had two wins now in a week,’ mentioned the newly
crowned champion jockey.’ He still an improving sort, but he has relaxed the
best he has ever done today, and would be a very nice horse for the future.’
Banyu
It
would be good to point out that Nicky Henderson who only sends horses with a
serious chance to Fontwell was runner up on this occasion with Maestro Royale,
who was a full ten lengths back in second place.
The jockey of this impressive five year old said it had been
a fantastic week for him and his family. And it was good to start the ball
rolling again with some very nice horses.
Banyu, Richard Johnson
The distance race of the evening the three mile one furlong
handicap chase was taken by a popular attendee to the East Sussex course.
The Gary Moore trained Ilewin for Hannah, ridden by son Jamie Moore had been waiting for the good ground to come. Pulled up at Fontwell in
December in soft ground the nine year old in training throughout the whole of
the winter now can bring his talents to the fore.
Ilewin for Hannah,
Gary Moore not in attendance due to the fact of recovering
from a shoulder operation will now aim this horse for an early season campaign
his representative mentioned,’ most courses do not water their tracks throughout
the beginning of the season, in order to keep the water table low in the turf, and give a better chance of race able ground when the bad weather of winter
arrives. So we will take advantage of that with this fella.’
Expect to see
this one on the tracks throughout the summer on the top of the ground. One for
the notebooks.
The final race of the evening, a one mile five bumper race.
Seamus Durack sent out his expensive purchase from the sales for a second time
at the Sussex Course, Alfredo was dominate in the field at the beginning of
April to win his debut race the ground then good to soft of.
But off the better ground seemed to faultier and despite being 2/1 favourite the four
year old finished well down the field.
The race went to Tom George’s Stamp your feet. Ridden by
Paddy Brennan the four year old also on his second run, previously a good third
in a bumper at Southwell.
Colliding with the rail on the run in the Galileo gelding
did not alter his stride and seemed to come up the hill ridden out easily;
beating Mick Channon’s The Blue Bomber by six lengths.
Both horses mentioned cannot be disregarded in future
events. The winner now placed in both his starts on good; good to soft ground
would be one to circle in the form boos for future runs.
Durack’s Alfredo, still thought of in high regard, would be
one to watch as his racing career continues.
Tom George’s Stamp your feet. Ridden by Paddy Brennan
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