DAN Skelton, who has already banked more than £4million in prizemoney as he bids to become this season’s champion National Hunt trainer, may be eyeing up more success at Fakenham’s Aldiss Easter Monday Raceday.
Skelton has two of the 14 entries for the opening 2.15pm Join Racing TV Now Handicap Hurdle in Brookside La, third at Haydock in January after a victory at Wetherby the previous month, and Coolkatie, both six-year-olds.
However, two former Fakenham winners are also among the entries. Morning Mayhem, representing Nick Scholfield, won at Fakenham in both February and March and was recently third at Stratford, while Lucy Wadham also has Abbey Law entered. The mare was fourth at Fakenham in March although she did win in Norfolk last April.
Skelton looks set to run Delgany Deadline, a recent Leicester winner, in the 4.35pm Watch on Racing TV Handicap Chase. The six-year-old was also a runner-up at Sedgefield in January.
Wadham could again provide a real rival though. Her Brother Boris, a seven-year-old gelding, won at Fakenham’s last two meetings, in February and March, and clearly has eyes firmly set on completing a hat-trick.
Wymondham-based trainer Caroline Fryer provides some local interest with her Cloudy Wednesday, a former Fakenham winner victorious in five of his 25 career chase starts. The gelding was third at Huntingdon last time out.
Skelton’s third big chance is in the closing 5.10pm Every Race Live on Racing TV Mares’ Open NH Flat Race with Hidden Fortune. The five-year-old was a Market Rasen runner-up in November. Rivals could be Jamie Snowden’s filly L’Amandine, Toby Bulgin’s Crystal Jet and James Owen’s Plumpton fourth, Blue’s Secret Gem.
Feature race is the 3.25pm £15,000 Aldiss Chasing Excellence Novice Chase. The contest has attracted the interest of top trainers Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson. The former has Ludlow winner Bond Broker while Henderson’s Calimystic bids for a three-timer after victories at Sandown in March and Newbury in December.
Former point-to-point winner Kilaro makes a chasing debut for Tim Easterby while also making a chasing debut is another Nicholls’ horse, Sonigino.
Earlier, at 2.50pm the Aldiss Juvenile Maiden Hurdle could be the most competitive contest of the day. Wadham has Cotton Socks, third at Market Rasen on hurdling debut, Henderson has ex Roger Varian gelding Ettore, recently third at Taunton, and Toby Lawes has Kempton third Flash Man all in the line-up.
While Wadham has Abbey Law entered in the opener, she has the same horse also entered for the 4pm Cecil and Shiela Buttifant Memorial Mares’ Hurdle. Two former Fakenham winners Annie Nail and Gold Clermont are also among the entries.
Content provided by Terry Redhead
