OKTOBERFEST PART 2 A SATURDAY SEVEN AT FONTWELL

Six races down from the previous day, seven quality races still to come to celebrate Fontwell parks Oktoberfest two day national hunt meeting.
Saturday brings in the families, though not the sunshine from the previous days meeting, the weather is well behaved for  meeting not only with quality racing on the cards but mascots charity racing, fancy dress and music all to keep the punters well entertained throughout the afternoon.

The opener,a three mile one furlong twelve runner handicap saw the field hit off at a good pace. Jockeys coming back reporting that the ground is good jumping ground allowing the horses to let down and run.
Jamie Moore in driving form at a track he likes booted home 11/1 shot Ilewindeiilah for the Lambourn based Charlie Mann yard.

'

 A lot of credit has to go to Gary (Moore) and Charlie (Mann)  in getting her right again

The favorite from the Paul Henderson team Mount Vesuvius back seven lengths in third the jockey of the winner mentioned,' Dad trained (Gary Moore) her last season, she won at Uttoxeter and then the wheels came off a little with her, Charlie has her now and has got her just right again, a change of scenery has done her good. Tom Segrue (the owner)let me keep the ride on her and to be fair she has done it well.'
The owners mentioned that the nine year old mare has had her injury problems,' A lot of credit has to go to Gary (Moore) and Charlie (Mann)  in getting her right again, i bred this one and today's win was not really that much of a surprise, we wanted this type of ground and got it today.'

Ilewindeiilah 

Off bottom weight of 10 st 2 lbs the mare may have to see what penalty she gets for a competitive win, but one to keep note of for sure.

An eight runner two mile three furlongs handicap novices chase was next to offer favorite backers a chance to get on the well priced 4/1 shot Accord from the Stow-on-the-Wold yard of David Bridgewater. The seven year old on his first win from five starts stayed on well under the ride of Tom Scudamore. 'He showed plenty of guts from the last to be fair, i though we may get caught with a turn of pace coming around the home bend but he is such a straight forward type of horse he battled out coming up the hill.'

Accord (left) battles up to the line  with second placed horse Free Stone Hill from the Dan Skelton yard.

In the paddock this one looks a very nice type indeed, and chasing seems to be his curtain call. From a yard that had had it's good spread of quality horse in it's time, it would be no surprise to see this one pick up a handy race somewhere over the coming months and one surely to underline in the form books.

Accord (left)  Free Stone Hill (right).

The feature race of the afternoon the £15000 Winner Group handicap Hurdle was again taken by the favorite. 5/2 shot Dashing Oscar from the Harry Fry yard and ridden by Noel Fehily who made all of the two miles three furlongs only really jumping well enough from two out to stay on well to beat Diable De Sivola by three lengths.

' He has grown a lot since i last saw him and is a really fast little jumper, that wasn't a bad sort of race really, it's encouraging for Fontwell to put on a handicap with a decent prize to it, but look this horse has done it well and has deserved his win for sure.'
The seven year old Irish bred now on four wins from ten runs certainly looks the hurdling type. Nimble and quick and certainly a pick for the Seaborough yard for Fry who trained his 150th winner of his career a month back.



One to watch, dependent on the competition next time out, and also it will possible depend on his penalty, but one certainly to note.

Dashing Oscar

The two miles one furlong handicap chase saw mixed fortunes for the Oxford based trainer Lawney Hill. Twenty four hours back at the course she just missed out as Velvet Cognac was taken on the line in the conditional jockeys chase. Twenty fours hours on and a mile less in distance Oliver's Hill off bottom weight of 10 st 2 lbs took the two miles one furlong Handicap chase by and impressive eight lengths from Pearls legend.
Ridden by Aiden Coleman the eight year old showed a quick impressive form of jumping the bigger obstacles, pulling away two fences out and going on again over the last.

'I have used Aiden from the start,' mentioned the trainer. 'He has given him a lovely ride, everything has suited him here today and the low weight has also has helped. We hardly ride him at home, just loose school him, when he dose that he jumps well above the wings of the fences, but to be sure he is a quirky horse but today i was really impressed by him.'
The jockey mentioned,' he has improved since his run at Stratford last month and has jumped really well today and has made use of the 10 st 2 lbs mark.'
The jockey who quoted he really enjoys riding the figure of eight of Fontwell was impressed by the improvement of the horse and would be one to note. It will be interesting what mark the gelding goes off next time out, not really over raced during this bout he could be one if off a low mark that could step up again. One to watch i'd say.

Velvet Cognac

The Marston's Kaltenberg novices hurdle over two miles three furlongs saw a healthy thirteen novices go to post.
Alan King present at Fontwell for the afternoon saddled 7-1 shot Chosen Path for Wayne Hutchinson to go to post on to take a nine length victory from Gunfleet from the Emma Levelle yard

Chosen Path

'He is only a four year old but has done that well really,'' Mentioned  Hutchinson.' He has  ran the race like a big baby really having a look at everything so should come on for the run really.' Covered up until four out the Irish bred debutante though as the jockey mentioned ran green quickened and pulled away from his field nicely, ' He probably ran a little earlier than we would usually do 'mentioned the trainer,'but with the ground being good at the moment it's nice to get them started, we have always liked him and here at Fontwell the sharpness of the track will teach the horse to race, this one could possibly have a big future.' Praise indeed from Alan King who wouldn't be in too much of  a rush for the four year old. ' We will find a little race for him in a few weeks time with not too much of a penalty and go from there.'
So, we have been told Chosen Path, this could be one for the note books over the coming months, the interest will be what path dose the trainer take.

We have always liked him and here at Fontwell the sharpness of the track will teach the horse to race.

The penultimate race of the day and the last of the races over obstacles was a two mile five handicap chase for Conditional riders. Eight runners to post and it was David Bridgewater who saddled Accord to win the opening race over the fences, put faith in young Callum McKinnes on board Orchestrated to fiddle a tune to the sound of a double for the afternoon.

Callum McKinnes on board Orchestrated with trainer David Bridgewater along side

The six year old grey on his inaugural victory from nine starts also made  it special for the young jockey only the day before having his first ride over fences, now on his second in the winners enclosure.
'Its not the easiest course to ride to be fare as you have to keep up where you are on the track. But i walked the course again this morning just to get my bearings.' The prodigy of the British racing school the young jockey mentioned,' I only rode ponies until i went to the school, got on a racehorse though wow this is great and have never looked back, i went to Tom George;s yard first then into David Bridgewaters about two years ago.'
I think there is one place we can leave this race, with a quote from a jockey on his maiden win. 'The buzz of riding my first winner is amazing.'

Orchestrated (left) upsides second placed horse Fly Home Harry

The final race of the afternoon a two mile one furlong national hunt flat race finished the two day festival in a blaze of glory. Court Liability from the Harry Whittington yard stayed on well and ran a positive race under Harry Bannister beating second and third placed horses with a necks distance between them. The favorite at 9/4 Solomon Grey in second place.

Baddesley Knight Solomon Grey in second place. Court Liability,

 The grey in the middle, the winner to his left battled hard  for Bannister up to the line. To be fair having seen a few National hunt flat races over the years at Fontwell, this one i would say is up there as one of the most competitive races at this type I've seen.
'He will come on a lot for that,' mentioned the jockey. 'He battled well up to the line and is a nice sort with a future i feel if he keeps going in the  right way.'
One again for the national hunt note books i'd say, the course well versed into putting in one or two rather good novices over the years from these bumpers.

With music to come at the East Sussex track the more was to the merry,  good pointers in a lot of areas for the national hunt aficionados . More is yet to come

More UMP PA PA  to come in the shape of Royal Windsor's Oktober festival as the last few Monday race meeting goes ahead for a few more time.

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