SPECTATORS AS HAPPY AS RACE FAVOURITE LARRY TO BE BACK AT FAKENHAM
National Hunt racing, and spectators, return to Fakenham this afternoon (Friday, October 15) when the North Norfolk track opens its 2021/22 season with a six-race card.
Small fields are the order of the day but that is unlikely to dampen the enthusiasm of the anticipated large crowd as supporters get their chance to return to live racing for the first time in more than a year.
Throughout last season strict restrictions were in place due to the pandemic and meetings were held behind closed doors with no members of the public present.
Just four have been declared for the 3.58pm feature, the three-mile handicap chase. Larry, under Jamie Moore for his father Gary, is favourite in an open event. Twice a 2018/19 winner, Larry is lightly raced and did well in the bet365 Gold Cup last term and now runs off a four-pound lower mark.
David Bass rides the Kim Bailey trained Rocky’s Treasure, the 10-year-old having had a wind operation and now fitted with cheekpieces and a tongue strap in a bid to eke out improvement. Neil King’s Worcester runner-up of last month Canyon City and Dr Richard Newland’s Minella Encore, complete the line-up.
The opening two contests look like battles between trainers Olly Murphy and Evan Williams. In the 1.38pm maiden hurdle, Murphy has Aidan Coleman on Italian Spirit, the winner of an Ascot bumper, while Williams sees Adam Wedge in the saddle on Loved Out, a Newton Abbott runner-up first time out for Williams after a move from Thomas Mullins yard.
In the following 2.13pm novice hurdle, Murphy runs Auditoria under Coleman, the filly a runner-up at Perth and Hereford while Williams and Wedge go with their recent Stratford winner, Howdyalikemenow.
Murphy has a further chance in the 2.48pm novice chase when Coleman rides Eaglehill. The grey won two chases last March but has been off since April. He has two rivals, Stuart Edmunds’ chasing debutant Go Millie Go, a hurdles winner at Exeter and Stratford, and Lord Schnapps under Sam Twiston-Davies for Newland, the gelding disappointing recently.
A field of six contest the 3.23pm novice hurdle with Charlie Longsdon’s Midnight Jewell, under Tom Buckley, looking to record a fourth win in five starts, his most recent success at Huntingdon 10 days ago.
The 4.33pm finale is another six-runner hurdle with frontrunner Soldier on Parade, under Jack Quinlan for Amy Murphy, looking to go one better than his second spot 17 days ago at Sedgefield.
