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| The Game is a foot in the two and a half mile handicap Hurdle Fontwell Park |
It has been a while since we have reported from the East
Sussex racecourse of Fontwell Park, and I could not have picked a more pleasant
early spring Friday afternoon to attend and watch seven good quality races a
week before the greatest steeplechases ever, eight days on at Aintree.
A fair Friday afternoon crowd soaked up the sun, that in
tandem with a strong wind had made the going on the fast side of good. good to
firm.
Before and even during racing trainers, owners and even
jockeys walked the turf, pondering looks on their faces deciding to run their
charges or not on ground becoming firmer as the afternoon went on.
Three brave souls went to post for a opening novices hurdle,
Nicky Henderson who has always loved sending certainties to these types of
meetings early spring and Autumn, did so again when Brave Eagle took the race
in commanding style with young 5 lbs claimer Ned Curtis on board.
The 13/8 five-year-old favourite as the jockey mentioned had
all the right ingredients for a win. Ground, Track and conditions to take the
2mile three furlongs’ event.
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| Brave Eagle |
‘We used our stamina rather than our speed today, but he
jumps well enough, though he still can have a little look about him.’ Mentioned
the young flat race jockey turning to the jumping side.
Twenty-eight wins over
both rules, six wins as a jump jockey.
‘I’m grateful to the guvnor for putting
faith in me more and more since Christmas, my expectations for this season
though not planned have been succeeded.’
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| Brave Eagle took the race in commanding style with young 5 lbs claimer Ned Curtis on board. |
J.P McManus had the winner of the first chase of the
afternoon with a very promising seven-year-old Easy Street trained by Jonjo
O’Neil.
Aidan Coleman in the saddle who managed to produce this High Chaparral
gelding to good effect to take the race from The Italian Yob By three lengths.
‘This fella loves it around here and the ground was just
right for him, it was a race that ticked all the boxes for him and you would be
disappointed if you were not thereabouts really. Mentioned the jockey yet without a ride in the following
weekends big event.
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| Easy Street trained by Jonjo O’Neil. |
With a circuit to go you would not have been in poor company
if you though the horse may not show its true form.
Confident jumping and full
of running the horse gave a fine display of forward chasing and racing from
about four out, the race card mentioned this horse had something to prove.
The
seven-year-old duly obliging.
The going at the Sussex track was sure to make a difference
in some horses performance, either good or bad, and it was the winner of the
next Bletchley Castle who was no secret when beating Flanagan’s Field by three
Lengths in the two miles one furlong handicap hurdle.
Trained by Upper Lambourn resident Seamus Durack and ridden
by Conor O’Farrell the eight-year-old stayed on well up the inclined finish of
the Sussex Track.
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| Bletchley Castle |
‘I have tried to give this fella a bit of a rest as we have
been out in front, but he just kept on wanting to go on again, he has done it
very well in the end.’
The ex-point to pointer running on well on the better
ground finding Doncaster a little too on the softer side of good for him last time out.
Eight
runs and one win has proved this horse can do it Seamus Durack now has his work
cut out finding more races of this type to compete in and may be worth viewing, depending on ground and conditions the next time this gelding appears on the track.
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‘I have tried to give this fella a bit of a rest as we have been out in front, but he just kept on wanting to go on again.'
A two mile one furlong handicap chase saw only three go to
post, Gary Moore a favourite and fortunate trainer here at Fontwell sending Mr
Muddle to post the 5/4 fav.
But it was stand in last minuet replacement jockey Ian Popham who
bought home Bredon Hill lad for the Longdown trainer Susan Gardener four
lengths in front of second place Blandford’s Gunner. The favourite a further
length back in third spot.
‘It’s unfortunate for Lucy today being stood down by the
doctor, but we have had a good run off him and he has jumped well, it’s thanks
to the trainer for putting me up on him really.’
Lucy Gardener the ten-year-olds usual partner on the track being stood down as she was showing signs of
dehydration before racing.
Bredon Hill lad
The jockey who was happy with the win freely admits the
pressures for some jockeys who have had injuries and poor form to get the
winners,
’ It’s been hard for me to be honest, but hopefully another winner
should get people looking at me to see that I can still get them home, I’m
working still as hard as ever and keep on going.’
A story only probably too
true of a few weighing room residents of both sides of the divisions of racing.
'I’m working still as hard as ever and keep on going.’
Warren Greatrex took the next a two-and-a-half-mile Handicap
hurdle with Carnspindle, ridden by Gavin Sheenan, the five-year-old mare was keen throughout the
race and from five out managed to edge clear of the second placed horse King
Cool who was favourite and another of Gary Moore’s horses who were not relishing
the wind dried ground on offer.
‘Getting to the start with this mare I knew she was a lot
sharper and well in herself than she has been, off this ground she’ll run well,
she is a tough sort.’
Carnspindle
Connections were a little uneasy at the start if she would
go on the drying ground, proof in the pudding is that she won, and if the
better weather continues and the rain stays away will win again and is one to
watch when placed out by the Lambourn trainer again.
A favourite jockey over the years at Fontwell and well know local
trainer Richard (Rosie) Rowe sent out the winner of the final chase of the
afternoon a two mile three handicap with the seven-year-old Remember Forever.
Ridden by Andrew Glassonbury the horse went on gamely from
three fences out to take the race by a couple of lengths from second place Wish
in a Well.
‘We got hampered at Plumpton last time out which has taken
me out of the saddle, but he has jumped well today and in those conditions and
on that ground this horse could keep on winning.’
Remember Forever
The inside rail was not given up by the jockey coming over
the last who mentioned,’here at Fontwell in a close finish you rarely see a
horse winning on the stand side.’
A positive ride from the jockey and a popular
win from a trainer who would know this course all too well from over the years.
Another very popular trainer at Fontwell Gary Moore, not
having too great of an afternoon was very indecisive whether to run his next
entry in the final race of the afternoon the mile-and-a-half-mile bumper.
‘The wind has dried the ground out considerably, we have
already given one of ours a leg this afternoon and he hasn’t ever had any issues
on that front since I have had him, and we like this Dell Oro a lot.'
But the better decision gave the four-year-old his chance
and the 5/2 shot took the race well beating the favourite Rebound by three
lengths.
'We like this Dell Oro a lot.'
‘This
is a nice horse, well-built and looks like it can be made of the right stuff,
he’d be certainly one for the future.’
And how right the trainer is, the horse
looked to be of a good jumping build and it would be interesting to see the next
chapter of this gelding by Walk in the Park as he continues.
And with the
history of quality horses who have had their maiden successes at Fontwell in
Bumpers, this four year old certainly has joined the ranks.
One
to note from the Horsham yard.
Dell Oro
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