Friday 10 June 2016

FONTWELL PARKS EIGHT BEFORE THE SUMMER BREAK Fontwell Park 7-6-16



Fontwell park about to embark on her summer vacation, a small matter of eight races got the heels a kicking before the break for the East Sussex course during the rest of June and the whole of July.

Two divisions of a two and a half miles’ novices hurdle commenced proceedings. And also started a double winning afternoon for Jockey Tom O’Brien  who on the first of his winners steered home Colin Tizzards Westend Prince by a neck from Graeme McPherson’s Titans Approach.
 The 5/2 fav when asked pressed home gamely up the Fontwell inclined finish, though the Kings Theatre geldings jumping was a little to say not convincing three hurdle out.

‘This fella would be a better chaser actually, i knew when Richard Johnson came past me at the bend I might be in a little trouble, but he stuck it out well on the line, so it was okay.’
Colin Tizzards Westend Prince
The second of O’Brien’s winners of the afternoon came in the penultimate race of the afternoon. This time over the larger obstacles in the two and a half mile handicap chase. 
This time for trainer Paul Henderson the 29 year old Irishman steered Paddy the Stout home by seven lengths from Mattie Batchelor and Minority Interest. 
‘I’ve ridden this fella a lot, we have had a few of placings on him so it’s nice to get a win out of him. He is a type of horse with his wind if you really get after him he stops in a matter of strides, so to some, it looks like I’m not giving him a ride, but if I do he’ll come nowhere.’
The eleven-year-old on only his second win from thirty two starts took the race up from two fences out, and by the last was driven clear of trainer Daniel O’Brien’s (no relation) Minority Interest to the line.



The gelding was bought by Henderson at the back end of the sales to give the owners some fun. Now a least with a win the son of Oscar Shindler winning some part of the purchase fee back.





Paddy the Stout Tom O'Brien's double winning ride
The second division of the handicap novices hurdle went to the 7/2 fav Replacement Plan ridden by Daryl Jacob, the jockey who in the previous race took a nasty tumble on the home turn when his mount On Alberts Head sipped on the flat.

The seven-year-old trained by Richard Woollacott who took a prominent hold at the beginning of the race, only to fade but then take up the race again from the last and stay on well up the Fontwell hill to beat the Paul Henderson’s Rior by six lengths, to take his only win from twenty two starts.
 The trainer mentioned, ‘The field went really too quick for him early on, and he has stayed on well. I always thought he’d run a nice race today and has.’ 
The trainer giving a lot of praise to the ride given to the gelding by Jacob. ‘He is a horse that needs to run in 0-100 handicap hurdles, he can run over fences so I think we will switch him about a bit. But we will try to get another win out of him before the end of the summer.’
7/2 fav Replacement Plan ridden by Daryl Jacob (Right) second place Rior  (left)

The Flemensfirth gelding well backed for the race would have to be carefully watched where he is placed next time out, still very much a maiden this dual disciplined gelding is out to give his owners a good time throughout the summer. The owners showing great confidence in the trainer as they continue in their quest.

The third race of the afternoon a handicap chase over the two miles one furlong course went to a Phillip Hobbs trained horse Quadriller. Ridden by champion jockey Richard Johnson the nine-year-old gelding made light work of the event taking the race by nine lengths from Dai Williams’s Nearest the Pin.
The horse taking a liking to the East Sussex course now on a hat trick of wins at Fontwell seemed to relish the twist and turns of the figure of eight track. 
‘They have gone a good pace early on, he is a type that would get further also, but it is good to get a win on him again.’ Mentioned the jockey on twenty six winners for the season so far.
Phillip Hobbs trained horse Quadriller. Ridden by champion jockey Richard Johnson

The next race a two mile three furlong novices hurdle, seven ran. Warren Greatrex sending the top weight Ritual of Senses off at 2/7 on fav.



The six-year-old by Milan duly obliged for favorite backers as Gavin Sheenan steered his ride home to a thirteen length victory from Dan Skelton’s Kid Kalanisi. 
‘It wasn’t the best race in the world, and we have made a whole load of mistakes, but we have kept him going and he has won nicely in the end. To be honest I’d keep him going and get another quick win out of him.’
 The jockey who has a busy summer ahead of him with plenty of rides may be back on this one the horse owned in partnership with Equis and Lady Lloyd Webber soon, as to the eye the six-year-old didn’t seem to have a race. 
The jockey mentioning that he had been under pressure though out the back straight in order to get him in contention.



Warren Greatrex sending the top weight Ritual of Senses off at 2/7 on fav.
The most exciting race on the card for the day was the long distance three mile one furlong handicap chase,five runners to post, all out of top quality yards.
David Pipe sending to post 5/2 fav For’n’Against having won over a shorter trip at the course in 2015 and finishing second in June over the course and distance.
But again the Scudamore, Pipe team could only manage a second as 7/4 shot Billy Two Tongues, trained by Jeremy Scott and ridden by Matt Griffiths led over the last to beat the favorite by eight lengths.
The eight-year-old by Heron Island wasn’t the most experienced in the field, but the ex-point to pointer seems to be a versatile type, winning his only other race on good to soft ground over a shorter distance at Uttoxter  in May
7/4 shot Billy Two Tongues (right), trained by Jeremy Scott and ridden by Matt Griffiths led over the last to beat the favorite by eight lengths.
The strange named horse named due to the fact that he had an injury as a young horse that caused his tongue to split, and it has never heeled back, now on three wins from eleven starts. And looks like a horse that may well have improved, this race being no push over and would be one to watch where placed next time out.
 Jeremy Scott not present at the races due to the fact the trainer was at the sales gathering more stock for the yard, but must have been pleased that as he was buying more runners, his existing ones are in the winners enclosure.
Billy Two Tongues
Ben Pauling maintained a good strike rate at the East Sussex course when his seven-year-old Newton Geronimo brought home the four-year-old and upwards handicap hurdle by four lengths from Hugo Frouds Coeur Tantre.
The 8/1 shot though ran a little green up the inclined finish by hanging right was ridden well clear by Brendan well who mentioned, 'He was a bit tricky getting him down to the start, but once running he was fine, we went a nice gallop for him today which suited. The ground helped so it was a good win.’
The only other win for the seven-year-old from his thirteen starts being at Taunton, winning a two mile race at 50/1. The few races before, refusing to race at all at Towcester and Sandown.
Newton Geronimo brought home the four-year-old and upwards handicap hurdle
The last race of the afternoon was a novice’s handicap hurdle, Mark Gillard sending his four-year-old Kingston Mimosa to post at 40/1.
The 9/4 fav Dragoon Guard ridden by Tom Scudamore could only manage a three and a half-length third to the outsider who stayed on well at the finish to beat Shimba Hills by a length and a half.

Ridden by James Banks who mentioned he had been at the front a little sooner than he would have liked for the four-year-old, 
'as we were in front I’ve just had to get after him a little to tell him to get on with it, but he is a young horse off a low weight so it was nice to get a winner.’



Mark Gillard sending his four-year-old Kingston Mimosa to post at 40/1.
The weather remained fine for all of the races throughout the afternoon as news filtered in that Lingfield was having to adjure two inches of rain throughout the afternoon. 
Three quality meetings in quick succession at Fontwell Park, as it now embarks on a well-deserved break.
Don’t forget that you can read blog reports and see images from most previous meeting at Fontwell at