What a day at the first Greene King Raceday at Fakenham.
Trainer Neil King and stable jockey Trevor Whelan stole the honours with a dramatic double at Fakenham’s second meeting of the jump racing season.
Dizzey Heights, a five-year-old mare, produced a terrific late burst to win the handicap hurdle at 20/1.
Bottom weight Hallingham, at 12/1, looked like pulling off a shock of his own before Whelan got a real rattle out of Dizzey Heights, who leapt ahead at the final flight and ran on to win.
“She got on a late roll. I didn’t want to pull her wide so had to wait, and in the end, she has done it well,” said Whelan.
King and Whelan then won the fillies’ juvenile hurdle with Cubswin, formerly trained by Roger Charlton, who reeled in Really Super and held on to score at 6/1 to complete a 146/1 double.
“Her flat form was bombproof. She won a four-runner race at Bath and the other three have all won since,” said King.
Brian Hughes had a winning ride when Deauville Dancer tasted victory for the fourth time this season, landing the feature Greene King IPA Chase.
Returned at 10/1, the David Dennis trained gelding jumped superbly to score from Baby Jake.
“He stays and jumps well. I gave him a flick at the last just to keep his mind on it and he has won well,” said Hughes.
The Skeltons, trainer Dan and his brother, jockey Harry, got the day off to a good start when Free Range, racing under National Hunt rules for the first time, scooted away with the maiden hurdle, at 5/1.
The Skeltons had two winners at the first meeting of the season and Free Range, a pointing winner in Ireland, always looked like scoring from Atlantic Grey and favourite, Royal Ruby.
Easiest winner of the day was Enjoy Responsibly under Harrison Beswick on his first run for Oliver Sherwood. The 15-length winner of the Tapping House Hospice Chase was returned at 6/1.
Sam Twiston-Davies deputised for Noel Fehily on the Neil Mulholland trained The Way You Dance who duly landed the three-mile hurdle at 7/1. Fast-finishing Moidore was second but never troubled the winner.
The finale was a National Hunt flat race and went to the Stuart Edmunds trained Kalochi, a very genuine 9/1 winner under Ciaran Gethings, who battled back to win after being headed in the final straight by debutant Fairway Freddie.
