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| THE QUEEN DEEEEEEOOOOOOOO |
With a spring that has been the driest for several years
(Yes, I know change the record)
A Fontwell park though dry gave a slight chill
to the air, the first evening meeting at the Sussex track, with the Queen in residence at Fontwell as well.
Well the Freddy Mercury tribute act anyway, looking from the
paddock the rest of us hacks were wondering how many would stay until after 9pm
to rhapsody the night away, who were the champions, who was ga ga enough to….
(okay enough with the superlatives) On to the racing.
Most punters coming out for the sport did show fair
attendance for seven early season National hunt races, which hosted good
jockeys and the newly crowned champ (though no winner on the night)
Good, good to firm ground on offer did see as we have witnessed a lot to over the past few weeks trainers pull their charges out due
to going not at the best for their horses, the ground though I must say looked as
well as I have seen it in the past few meetings, a lot of care and attention
certainly to the fore.
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| Lovely Touch |
The first race a two and a half mile handicap hurdle,
Lambourn resident Sam Thomas sent his 11/4 shot eight year old Lovely Touch to
post with ten others to come home the eleventh length winner from Peter Bowens
Get home know.
‘He has been a little under exposed for an eight-year-old,’
mentioned Adam Nicci the jockey of Lovely Touch. ‘He has had leg trouble so has
not been too easy to train, and for his age still a little green in his racing, he will get the three miles and with the pace on this evening showed he would
stay, if he stays sound and comes out of the race well he would be a horse to
have a lot of fun with.’
All will see how this progressive type turns out, sound
work at home in the yard were the greats such as Fulke Walwyn and Fred Winter
trained will be needed but certainly worth a look at if appearing here or down
the road at Plumpton.
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| Adam Nicci the jockey of Lovely Touch |
Local trainer Chris Gordon took the first race over the
bigger obstacles of the evening, in the two mile one furlong handicap chase.
Lake Chapala, Marc Goldstein on board the eight year old.
This horse pulled out of the last meeting at the track with
unsuitable going gave the trainer food for thought when walking the track before racing.
‘They have worked hard to get the best going for the horses but I wish for a better
and more realistic communication on offer about the state of the ground, it
would help us a lot and prevent owners putting money down unnecessarily getting
to meetings.’ Mentioned the trainer en-route to getting his winning glass of Champagne.
‘ I paid a couple of thousand for him and he has won two now, I suppose we see
how well he is handicapped to plan his next contest, but he has had a bit
of luck today, a few fancied runners not firing, but a winner is a winner.’
The
pace building up throughout the two mile contest saw the Shantou gelding jump
well off a strong pace for Goldstein.
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| Lake Chapala (left) Gie him Time (right) |
Consistent form shown throughout his thirty two outings and
would be one not to be sniffed at on tracks that would keep the eight year olds
attention.
Three runners in the next race a two mile three handicap
hurdle for four year olds and upwards. One nonstarter left two to battle on, Dan Skelton’s
Work in Progress and Brotherly Company from the Harry Fry yard.
A fair even contest for much of the race saw the two battle
off a strong pace, Harry Skelton sending on his brothers charge from four out
leaving Noel Fehily to push his charge to the limit approaching the final two.
The last hurdle well rooted out from the ground by the Fehily
mount left the Skelton horse well alone to pick up the purse.
‘He performs well
on this type of ground, and a win today may just freshen him up a little know,
we have had to pick and choose where he goes, but how it is now we’ll make hay
while the suns shines.’
Well the sun not quite peeping through but the dry spell though, with some a right pain in the preverbal some a blessing, and this horse
falling into the latter.
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| Dan Skelton’s Work in Progress |
A two and a half mile Handicap chase saw eight go to post.
Paul Henderson sending his nine year old Minella Tweet to post at 4/1.
Held up stalking the
front runners Paddy Brennan took up the running from favourite Harry Hunt and
though hanging right two out the Henderson nine year old took the race by three
lengths.
‘Most of my horses you will see will be ridden held up,’ mentioned the
trainer. ‘He has been running over two miles in Ireland was I was a little
concerned he wouldn’t see the trip out, but he has been working well and we
were a little surprised on how well he had worked, I told Paddy to hold him up
and use his pace in the end, which happened to good effect.’
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| Minella Tweet |
The first runner for the owners Michael and Tracie Willis
looked well coming over the last the jockey mentioning’ Paul has found just the
right sort of race for him to be fair, by two out I knew he was going well for
me so I was hopeful, he was really keen early on and was in the right place at
the right time, he’d go on most types of ground I’d say and is a type with more
in him.’
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| Paul Henderson sending his nine year old Minella Tweet to post at 4/1. |
Jockey Wayne Hutchinson and trainer Alan King had a good
start to the new season as a double at the Sussex track saw the five year old
Talkischeap take the first of the brace with an eleven length victory over the
favourite Lovato out of the Richard Newland stable.
Hutchinson mentioned, ‘He is a proven pointer so no
surprise, on this ground he maybe would be a type to have a lot of fun with
during the summer, he just wasn’t really seeing the races out in his bumpers,
the ground a little too on the soft side, but with better ground and an
obstacle in front of him he has come out of himself, he has a good enough
attitude to progress.’
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| Talkischeap |
The second of the duo’s winners came in the last race a one
mile five bumper for 4,5 and 6 year olds. Canford Chimes the only favourite to
win all evening at 4/5 heading on well in the final furlong taking the race by
a couple of lengths from Airtight from the Gary Moore yard.
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| Canford Chimes |
‘We ran into a couple of decent sort at Doncaster and just
missed out at Exeter, but has shown consistency and it was good for him to get
his head in front today.’
A good first week of the season for the Jockey,’ Yeah it’s
good to get a couple of winners under the belt in the first week to be sure.’
The penultimate race seven ran for the Jamie Moore Handicap
Chase over three miles one, the race named jockey without a ride in the event
saw Seamus Mullins saddle 8/1 shot Flugzeug to a five length win from the
favourite Celtic Tune owned by Mrs Jonjo O’Neil.
The trainer mentioned,’ He had a little low point few seasons back but well back on form know, he had a summer injury a few seasons back that
has just put him out of sorts, but he is on his way back know which is good to
see.’ The horse with possible entry at Plumpton next week will possible run
depending on the recovery from this evenings work, but with a trainer with
still 40 horses in full work I’s say we would see this nine year old out again
sooner rather than later.
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| Flugzeug |
Kevin Jones the jockey mentioned ‘He was probably well
handicapped for the race with everything in his favour, he has been a good
friend to me in the past so it was good to get the win on him, he ran on and
jumped well and is consistent for the Partnership but he loves his racing and
is a horse they can have a lot of fun
with.’
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| Seamus Mullins saddle 8/1 shot Flugzeug |
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More blogging from Fontwell though throughout the Summer.
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