All posts by David Hunter

Five Day Entries for the Gamble Plant Norfolk Ltd Raceday, Tuesday 2nd January

TAKE A GAMBLE ON SOME TOP ACTION TO WELCOME IN 2024 AT FAKENHAM

A large crowd is expected when Fakenham Racecourse bursts into 2024 action with its seven-race Gamble Plant New Year’s Raceday on Tuesday (January 2).

Fourteen entries have been received for the £30,000 feature, the 3pm Gamble Plant Norfolk Ltd Grand Prix Handicap Hurdle over two and a half miles, including three last time out winners.

El Jefe, trained by Andrew Hamilton and with Conor Rabbitt booked to ride, has won his last three contests, at Haydock just before Christmas and twice at Sedgefield in November.

Alastair Ralph is another northern raider and he seems likely to send grey mare Magical Maggie, a recent Ludlow winner, to take her chance. Neil Mulholland’s Mothill won at Sedgefield on Boxing Day and is among the entries as is Jedd O’Keeffe’s Ip Up. The six-year-old was third last time at Musselburgh but won at Fakenham in November.

The closing 3.30pm Racing Again on January 21 Hurdle also sees recent winners among the 13 entries, including For Gina, representing Lucy Wadham whose six-year-old mare won at the track in November, while likely rivals will be Mulholland’s Hobb’s Delight, a Fontwell winner on Boxing Day and the Sarah Humphrey trained The Wise Traveller, a Huntingdon scorer in November for whom Bradley Roberts is booked to ride.

Action gets under way at 12.30pm when Humphrey’s Fakenham regular Le Tuer is among 10 entered for the Happy New Year from Gamble Plant Amateur Jockeys’ Chase. It will be Le Tuer’s fourth race at the course this season.

Wadham’s Éclair De Guye and Nick King’s Go Fox will need a market check if taking their chances in the three miles and five furlongs stamina test.

Biggest entry sees 18 for the 1pm Book Your Skip Online @Fakenhamskips.co.uk maiden hurdle and it includes the Donald McCain trained Just Gino, the gelding recently sent off favourite at Bangor on hurdling debut, where he finished fifth in a field of 10.

David Pipe’s Ya Know Yaseff with Jack Tudor booked is an interesting entry for the 1.30pm Fakenham Double Up Bonus is Back Mares’ Chase over three miles, the mare a recent Wincanton runner-up and second on her last visit to Fakenham in February.

There are 17 entries for the 2pm Fakenham Racecourse Mares’ Novice Hurdle at 2pm with the 2.30pm Cool Roxy The Fakenham Favourite Novice Chase having nine entries including course and distance winner My Gift To You, a November winner at the course with Lilly Pinchin again booked to ride for James Owen.

Report from Christmas Sky Bet Raceday, Tuesday 19th December

BOWEN BAGS DOUBLE FAKENHAM CHRISTMAS GOLD IN HIS BID TO BE TOP JOCKEY

Sean Bowen bagged his 118 and 119th winners of the season at the top of the jump jockeys’ championship when Gold Clermont won the marathon Sky Bet Handicap Chase.

Bowen steered the Andy Irvine trained mare wide, seeking better ground, and produced the 17/2 chance to win comfortably from Eceparti.

“Sean gave her a superb ride. We are aiming for the Sussex National but she definitely wants soft ground. Sean was free to ride and I’m delighted to help him have another winner in his quest for the title,” said Irvine.

It was Bowen’s was first winner at the course for five years and 30 minutes later he had an easier victory on For Pleasure for trainer Olly Murphy in the Sky Bet Handicap Hurdle, scoring by 15 lengths.

The result was never in doubt with Bowen dominating to win on For Pleasure’s debut run for Murphy after leaving Alex Hales’ stable, returned at 3/1.

Lucy Turner had a great ride on the Venetia Williams trained grey gelding Georges Saint who landed the feature Sky Bet Female Jockeys’ Chase at 5/2.

“He jumped superbly throughout and travelled really well,” said Turner, who continued Williams’ fabulous current hot streak in beating William Cody to land the £20,000 contest.

Jacks Touch won the Mares’ Handicap Chase for Sarah Humphrey and Daryl Jacob. The eight-year-old was third at Fakenham in November having won at Leicester the previous day.

“I ran her then because it was a four-runner race and I felt sorry for Fakenham who put on excellent prize money, so I ran her to support the course,” said Humphrey. Formidable

“She’s tough and lightly raced for her age so I wasn’t surprised she delivered today,” she added. Jacks Touch held off fast-finishing Lincoln Lyn to score at 7/2 by half a length.

Dan Skelton’s Lady Berlais didn’t see a rival in the two-mile Mares’ Novices Handicap Hurdle, winning under Charlie Todd, returned at 9/2. Third last time out, the five-year-old showed improvement to beat six rivals.

There was an impressive winner of the opening Nar Valley Bloodhounds Maiden Hurdle with Alice Stevens on the Ben Brookhouse trained West Warhorse to an easy 16-length success. The 5/1 chance stormed home in the second hurdles run of his career.

The closing Each Business Circle Norfolk Handicap Hurdle went to Lilly Pinchin on board the James Owen trained top weight Edison Kent who stormed clear to win from 7/2 favourite Copshill Lad by 23 lengths, returned at 8/1.

Declared Runners for Sky Bet Raceday, Tuesday 19th December

TOP-FORM WILLIAMS HEADS EAST IN SEARCH OF DOUBLE CHRISTMAS CHEER

In-form trainer Venetia Williams, with six winners from 13 runners up to the weekend, has two leading chances of grabbing some pre-Christmas cheer at Fakenham’s Christmas Raceday meeting on Tuesday.

Williams, from her Herefordshire base, runs Eceparti and Georges Saint, in two of the three chases on the seven-race card.

Feature is the 2.40pm Sky Bet Female Jockeys’ Chase worth £20,000 and Williams has Lucy Turner booked for Georges Saint, a grey gelding recently third at Ffos Las.

The seven-runner contest looks competitive and Georges Saint has a host of rivals including Scene One, Yccs Portocervo and Jony Max. For good measure, Fakenham Racing Club’s own hero, Allo Allo, also goes under Charlotte Jones for Stuart Edmunds.

Bryony Frost rides the Lucy Wadham trained Scene One, who scored on chasing debut at Fakenham in November while Lilly Pinchin partners the Dr Richard Newland trained Yccs Portocervo, third at the course before going on to score twice at Uttoxeter.

Alice Stevens, fresh from an impressive weekend winner, rides the Christian Williams’ trained Jony Max, last seen winning at Fakenham last month.

The earlier 1.40pm Sky Bet Stayers’ Chase over almost four miles sees Eceparti likely favourite under Charlie Deutsch, the gelding having won five of 22 chases, including two at Chepstow in October and November.

Main rivals among the eight runners include Kadex, for Wadham and Frost, the gelding runner-up at Fakenham behind Jony Max, and Le Tuer, a Fakenham winner in March for trainer Sarah Humphrey.

The other chase is the 12.40pm Mares’ Chase in which Wadham and Frost have Brandisova, whose only chase win was at Fakenham in March. Likely market leaders are Our Nel for Harry Fry and Fine By Her, Harry Bannister on Julian Smith’s mare who makes a chasing debut.

The action begins at 12.10pm with Michael Wigham having the favourite for the Nar Valley Bloodhounds Maiden Hurdle in September Power. The six-year-old has won six times on the flat and was runner-up in a class two event at Kempton earlier this month.

Crem Fresh won at Fakenham in November and returns for the 1.10pm Mares’ Novice Hurdle under Bannister for Barry Brennan although Lady Gwen, with Kai Leniham taking off seven pounds for trainer Kim Bailey the threat.

Nigel Twiston-Davies likes a Fakenham winner and he runs Sergeant Wilson in the 2.10pm Sky Bet Hurdle where main opposition is Anthony Charlton’s Western Soldier while the 3.10pm finale, the Each Business Circle Norfolk Handicap Hurdle, sees grey gelding Copshill Lad, runner-up at Plumpton, hoping to go one better.

5 Day entries for Christmas Race Meeting on Tuesday 19th December

ALLO ALLO … IT LOOKS LIKE A PRE-CHRISTMAS TREAT FOR FAKENHAM RACING FANS

It’s beginning to look a lot like a highly competitive day of action on Tuesday when Fakenham Racecourse stages its pre-Christmas seven-race fixture.

Feature race is the 2.40pm Sky Bet Female Jockeys’ Chase worth £20,000 which local supporters will be hoping can go the way of Allo Allo.

The seven-year-old gelding is owned by the Fakenham Racing Club and has already won twice over hurdles at the north Norfolk track as well as scoring over the bigger obstacles at Bangor.

Last time Allo Allo, trained by Stuart Edmunds, was pulled up at Fakenham but this time it is hoped he can recapture earlier good form, on Tuesday under seven-pound conditional rider Elizabeth Gale.

There could be plenty of quality opposition with Venetia Williams having entered grey gelding Georges Saint, recently third at Ffos Las while Christian Williams has entered Jony Max, a four-time chase winner including a success at Fakenham in November.

Scene One, with Bryony Frost booked to ride for Lucy Wadham, made it a winning chase debut at Fakenham in November while Lily Pinchin, who has tasted so much recent success at the course, returns to ride Dr Richard Newland’s Yccs Portocervo, the grey third at Fakenham in October before winning twice at Uttoxeter.

If ground conditions remain soft, the 1.40pm Sky Bet Stayers’ Chase over three miles and five furlongs could be a real test. Venetia Williams has entered Eceparti, twice a Chepstow winner recently while Wadham has Kadex, second behind Jony Max at Fakenham in November and Dr Newland has Rostello, a recent Hexham scorer.

The other chase on the card is the 12.40pm Mares’ Chase in which Wadham has entered Brandisova, whose only previous chase success was at the course in March. A rival could be from Nick Gifford’s stable. He has booked James Davies to ride River Tyne, second each time in her last five starts.

Davies and Gifford team up with Eliza Dolittle in the 1.10pm Mares’ Novice Hurdle. The mare was third behind Crem Fresh at Fakenham in November and that mare, trained by Barry Brennan, has also been entered for the two-mile contest.

Action starts with the 12.10pm Nar Valley Bloodhounds Maiden Hurdle in which Olly Murphy has entered Kilbarry Hill, twice a recent runner-up while there are 16 initial entries for the 2.10pm hurdle in which Nigel Twiston-Davies returns with Sergeant Wilson, a February winner at Fakenham and a recent Newbury runner-up.

The finale at 3.10pm has Murphy’s Exeter winner Wolfspear among the entries for the three-mile handicap hurdle contest in which David Pipe has entered an interesting possible rival in Ben Lily.

Report from Greene King Race Day, Tuesday, 21st November

JOCKEY LILLY’S DREAM COMES TRUE AS SHE REALISES HER RIDING AMBITION

Lilly Pinchin, who managed a double at Fakenham’s previous meeting, rode arguably the most important winner of her career on Tuesday.

Riding the James Owen trained 7/4 favourite My Gift To You, Pinchin won the Weatherbys Hamilton Novice Chase to register her 75th career winner, meaning she is now a full-fledged professional who can no longer claim a weight allowance.

“I’ve been waiting so long for this moment; dreaming about it. I’ve been so lucky and had so much support from trainers, friends and family. After not winning on two earlier fancied rides I wondered if it was going to be my day,” said an emotional 24-year-old Pinchin, who began her career at Fergal O’Brien’s stable.

The Gloucestershire-based rider, who has a pet turkey called Trev, had her first winner under rules in May 2017. Tuesday’s victory was her 14th this season.

Northern-based jockey Craig Nicol had his first Fakenham winner when the Jedd O’Keefe trained Ip Up won the Greene King Flint Eye Mares’ Hurdle. Always up with the leaders, Ip Up, third at Ayr a fortnight ago, went ahead before the final flight and galloped clear to score at 8/1.

Bryony Frost was all smiles after taking the Greene King Level Head Hurdle on the consistent mare For Gina, trained by Lucy Wadham.

The 6/4 favourite tracked leader Redbridge Rosie and when Boleyn Boy fell it was left for For Gina to take it up before the final flight to surge clear for a second victory in three runs.

“She is very tough and game,” said a delighted Frost, as she acknowledged the cheers around the winners’ enclosure.

After his first success for a year at Fakenham’s previous meeting, Ellis Collier followed up with a fine victory in the Save Our Sport Conditional Jockeys’ Chase on Call of the Loon. The 12-year-old veteran, trained in Wales by Christian Williams, rolled back the years to get home at 5/2.

“I rode him the way Christian told me to. If you listen to Christian you don’t go far wrong,” said Collier, who travelled down with the horse the previous day.

Sarah Humphrey trained 10-year-old Templier to take the Weatherbys Handicap Chase under James Best at 17/2. The heavy-ground loving winner took it up before the final fence to notch up a seventh victory in 58 career starts.

Despite showing little on debut at Ludlow, Virginia Lodge improved to land the Greene King Ice Breaker Fillies’ Hurdle under Fergus Gillard. Trained by Dan Skelton, the three-year-old filly won at 9/1.

Three contested the closing newcomers’ ‘bumper’ which went to Tramuntana, a first bumper winner of the season for trainer Olly Murphy, ridden by Fergus Gregory and returned the 5/6 favourite.

Delared Runners for the Greene King Raceday, Tuesday 21st November

DOUBLE-UP LILLY NOW HAS HER EYES SET ON A FAKENHAM TREBLE

Lilly Pinchin, star of the last race meeting at Fakenham, returns on Tuesday, eight days later, and bids to go one better.

Pinchin grabbed a double on November 13 but at the course’s Greene King Raceday seven-race fixture on Tuesday, she has a great chance of a hat-trick of victories.

Star Legend was one of Pinchin’s winners at the last meeting and the couple team up again for trainer James Owen in the 1.20pm Greene King Level Head Novice Hurdle over three miles. The four-year-old gelding carries a seven-pound penalty for that win.

Main rivals are For Gina and Boleyn Boy, second and third respectively at Fakenham in a race in June, the latter going on to win for trainer Ben Case at Huntingdon at the end of October.

Earlier, in the 12.45pm Save Our Sport Sign the Petition Conditional Jockeys’ Chase over three miles, Pinchin rides likely market leader Guguss Collonges for trainer Roger Teal. The gelding recorded his second chase success recently at Stratford and so arrives in north Norfolk in form.

Veteran Call of the Loon for Christian Williams, and Le Tuer, a Fakenham winner in March for Sarah Humphrey, are the biggest threats to Pinchin’s hopes.

Pinchin and Owen team up in the 1.55pm Weatherbys Hamilton Novice Chase with My Gift To You, a five-year-old gelding fourth at Hereford in October having scored his only chase victory at Worcester in the summer.

School for Scandal for Joe Tickle returns to action for the first time since winning at Taunton in April while Lawney Hill has champion jockey Brian Hughes booked to ride Calidad.

Feature is the 2.30pm Greene King Flint Eye Mares Hurdle in which Bryony Frost partners Lucy Wadham’s grey filly Pretending, last seen finishing second at April at Cheltenham. Ip Up and the Philip Hobbs trained Georgi Girl, are the chief rivals.

A Hereford winner a fortnight ago, Extraordinary Man will go off favourite for the 3.05pm Weatherbys Hamilton Chase under Caoilin Quinn for David Bridgwater although Up for Appeal for Christian Williams and Millies Mite for Karen Jewell, have realistic hopes.

The opener, the 12.10pm Greene King Ice Breaker Fillies Hurdle, features three debutants although the once-raced Francina will be favourite for Jonathan Burke and trainer Jamie Snowden after her debut second at Hereford in October.

The finale sees four debutants in the 3.35pm Newcomers Bumper, including the Olly Murphy trained Tramuntana. Only filly in the quartet is Case’s Pollywiggle Quay.

5 Day Entries for Greene King Race Day, Tuesday 21st November

GREENE KING DAY PROMISES MORE RACING EXCITEMENT AT FAKENHAM

Just over a week since its last seven-race card Fakenham Racecourse is set to deliver more competitive National Hunt Racing at its Greene King Raceday on Tuesday.

There are three chases, three hurdle contests and a National Hunt Flat Race (bumper) and this season’s leading female rider, Lilly Pinchin will be hoping to carry on where she left off on Monday, when she rode a double.

Pinchin has a great chance of starting the day with victory in the 12.20pm Save Our Sport Sign The Petition Conditional Jockeys’ Chase, on the Roger Teal trained gelding Guguss Collognes, successful at Stratford earlier this month, albeit over two furlongs shorter than the planned three miles.

Gavin Sheehan is another jockey amongst the winners and he rides Francina in the 12.55pm Greene King Ice Breaker Fillies’ Junior National Hunt Hurdle. The Jamie Snowden trained filly was second on debut at Hereford in October.

The Greene King Level Head Novice Hurdle at 1.30pm includes, among its initial entries, two horses finishing second and third at Fakenham in June in For Gina for Lucy Wadham and Boleyn Boy for Ben Case. Also among the entries is Star Legend, James Owen’s gelding a winner at Fakenham on Monday under Pinchin.

Second chase of the day is the Weatherbys Hamilton Novice Chase at 2.05pm and among entries are Neil King’s Lifetime Legend who, if taking up the option, will be making a chasing debut. William Ewart, recently runner-up at Wincanton and Joe Tickle’s April Taunton victor School For Scandal, also hold entries.

East End Girl has finished third and fourth at Fakenham when trained by Wadham. Now in Alistair Ralph’s stable, the mare heads the entries for the 2.40pm Greene King Flint Eye Mares’ Hurdle following her success in October at Hereford. Among possible rivals are Georgi Girl for Philip Hobbs and Wadham’s grey mare Pretending, runner-up when last seen at Cheltenham in April.

The two-mile Weatherbys Hamilton Chase at 3.15pm sees David Bridgwater’s Extraordinary Man, last seen when winning at Hereford last week, among the 11 entries while the programme ends at 3.45pm with the Save Our Sport Sign The Petition Newcomers Flat race for which there are 12 entries, 11 of whom are yet to see a racecourse.

Evan Williams, a successful and frequent visitor to north Norfolk from his stables in Barry in Wales, has three of the debutants in Juby Ball, Mount Washington and The Big Man.

SIGN THE PETITION AND HELP TO SAVE OUR SPORT

SIGN THE PETITION AND HELP TO SAVE OUR SPORT

Fakenham Racecourse has asked racegoers to join the fight to ‘Save Our Sport’.

Indeed ‘Save Our Sport’ was in capitals across the front of Monday’s race card for the course’s additional National Hunt Racing meeting.

The race card cover called on government to “stop the implementation of betting affordability/financial risk checks” and included a code linking directly to the petition which demands a halt to the introduction of intrusive checks.

The second race on Monday’s seven-race card was named the Save Our Sport Sign The Petition Handicap.

“We need to get the message through to everybody involved in racing, down to the most casual racegoer, how critical it is to get behind this petition,” said chief executive David Hunter.

“We are all very concerned at how the outrageous suggestions from the Gambling Commission are already having negative effects on racing and will have even more if they’re allowed to go through in their current form.

“The whole industry must do what it can to protect those who get into vulnerable situations, but the draconian, invasive reaction that’s on the cards at the moment is totally out of proportion. Nowhere else in life does the government decide what you can or can’t spend your income on,” he added.

By Monday around 81,000 signatures had been added to the petition.

 

Report from Sky Sports Raceday, Monday 13th November

PINCHIN AND FROST MAKE IT A REAL LADIES’ DAY AT FAKENHAM

Star Legend proved a cut above the rest and helped jockey Lilly Pinchin make it ladies’ day at Fakenham’s race meeting on Monday.

Trained by James Owen, Star Legend, at 11/4, was pushed from fourth place to the front by Pinchin and marched on for a super success in the Gatsby’s Fakenham Winner At England Business Awards Maiden Hurdle.

The prize was presented by Carol McCubbin, owner of Gatsby’s Barbers in Fakenham, recent winners at those business awards.

For Pinchin and Owen it completed a double on the day and Owen became the fifth winner since the launch of the Fakenham Double Up Bonus Scheme which sees any trainer completing a double receive a £1,000 bonus along with a similar award to the winning owners of each horse.

He really liked it going the other way round to when last out at Huntingdon,” said Pinchin.

The first half of the double came in the opening Fillies’ Juvenile Hurdle when 3/1 chance Royal Athena turned the tables on odds-on favourite Grain of Hope, who had beaten Royal Athena when they met at Ludlow in October.

Bryony Frost, the darling of the Fakenham crowd, landed the Sky Bet Build A Bet Chase on the Lucy Wadham trained Scene One.

The gelding, 6/4 favourite, had won last time at Warwick over hurdles but on chase debut was too good for his five rivals to score by three lengths.

“He’s a super horse and the hard work has been done at home. Lucy has been patient with him. He is a big-framed horse and there should be more to come. He winged his fences and was very good,” said Frost.

Jockey Gavin Sheehan continued his good run of form when taking the Win 50k With ITV7 Mares’ Hurdle on the Barry Brennan trained Crem Fresh who made every yard of the two-and-a-half-miles trip, returned at 6/1, beating Mistral Nel and Eliza Doolittle.

Ellis Collier recorded his first success for a year when getting Jony Max home at 16/1 for trainer Christian Williams in the Sky Bet Chase.

“I’ve been second on him here so it’s good to get a winner,” said Collier, recording his 10th success, seeing his future claim reduced from 7lbs to 5lbs.

Good Times Ahead pulled off a surprise win in the Save Our Sport Sign The Petition Handicap Hurdle for trainer Suzi Best and jockey Harry Reed. Returned at 22/1, the winner never looking like being overhauled by runner-up and favourite, Sailed Away.

The closing bumper went to Ami Bondhu, who defeated his seven rivals by 12 lengths, to score at 10/3 under James Davies for trainer Nick Gifford.

 

 

Declared Runners for Sky Bet Raceday, Monday 13th November

SHEEHAN SETS HIS SIGHTS ON SOME ‘EXTRA’ FAKENHAM WINNERS

Gavin Sheehan, jockey on the winner of the only race at Fakenham to have been completed in the new 2023/24 season, has a cracking chance of adding to his tally at the Norfolk course on Monday.

Sheehan won the opening race at the previous meeting which was then abandoned due to the conditions. Fakenham applied for Monday’s extra fixture after its scheduled opening card was abandoned before meeting two came to an unfortunate and abrupt halt.

Sheehan, fifth in the jockeys’ championship with 43 winners from 225 rides, has two excellent opportunities for trainer Martin Keighley. He rides hat-trick seeking Ben Buie in the 1.30pm Sky Bet Build A Bet Chase, the nine-year-old gelding already successful at Hereford in October and Warwick the previous month.

Main rival in the six-runner contest is Bryony Frost on the Lucy Wadham trained Scene One, making a chasing debut after winning a hurdles contest at Warwick in April.

In the 2.05pm Gatsbys Fakenham Winner at England Business Awards Maiden Hurdle, Sheehan and Keighley have Shinji, second at Stratford in October, although that gelding faces eight rivals, including Cuban Court and Star Legend. Lily Pinchin, leading female jump jockey this season with 10 winners from 76 rides, partners the James Owen trained Star Legend.

Sheehan rides Crem Fresh in the 2.40pm Win 50k With the ITV7 For Free Mares’ Hurdle. Main rivals are likely favourite Sinurita for Neil Mulholland and the Anthony Carson trained Courtney Silver, a Fontwell winner in August.

All eyes will be on Fakenham Racing Club’s Allo Allo in the 3.10pm Sky Bet Chase. Trained by Stuart Edmunds, Allo Allo won twice over hurdles at Fakenham last season before winning over Bangor’s chase course in April.

Of the seven-year-old gelding’s five opponents, the one to watch could be Kadex for Frost and Wadham, a Plumpton winner on his second chase start last month.

Four contest the opening 12.25pm Fillies’ Juvenile Hurdle, three of them having met at Ludlow last month. Winner then was Grain of Hope and she meets up again with Edmunds’ Limelight, fourth in that Ludlow contest, and the Pinchin ridden Royal Athena, fifth at Ludlow, but runner-up last week in a Lingfield flat race.

King Otis is market leader for the 12.55pm Save Our Sport Sign The Petition Hurdle, the Owen trained gelding under 10-pound claimer Jamie Gambin, looking for his second career success from what will be his 14th ride.

The day closes with the 3.40pm Sky Bet Request A Bet Open NH Flat contest in which half of the eight runners are making their racecourse debuts.