TRAINER ALEX’S STABLE STAR ‘GAMBLER’ BIDS FOR A FIVE-TIMER
Instant Gambler, winner of his four chase starts already this season, is set to go off a short-priced favourite for the Greene King Novice Chase on Greene King Raceday at Fakenham on Wednesday (October 30).
Trained in Burnham on Sea by Alex Dunn, Instant Gambler collected his fourth victory earlier this week at Fontwell. It was his fourth win since switching to fences.
The eight-year-old gelding gained three of those four wins at Fontwell and scored by seven lengths under Adam Wedge who is booked for the Fakenham ride.
Instant Gambler defied a 21lb higher mark than when successful on his first start over fences seven weeks earlier and is the current star of Dunn’s stable.
“He’s been brilliant and it’s lovely to watch him as he’s really enjoying his jumping. He came with experience from Irish points and has schooled plenty. It’s been a fairytale and it’s brilliant for everyone.”
The trainer has matched her seasonal tally of five winners from last season and said: “It’s been a case of less is more. We have fewer horses but more quality this season, so everything has improved.”
Instant Gambler is one of 11 initial entries for the £10,000 guaranteed 2.20pm feature of Fakenham’s seven-race card.
Also among the entries are Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Awesome Foursome, making his chasing debut, and Lunar Contact under Jack Andrews for Tom Ellis, the gelding fourth at Plumpton on chase debut last month.
Dunn and Wedge also hold a chance in the 3.20pm PRA Prize Money Plaque to Fakenham Novice Chase with Nevendon, second at Fakenham over hurdles in May and a Southwell chase winner earlier this month.
Main rivals are Ollie Murphy’s Stratford winner over hurdles, Vocito, and chase debutant Fever Dream for Christian Williams, the gelding a hurdles winner at Perth in the summer.
The other chase on the card is the 1.20pm £50,000 Queen Boudicca Series Qualifier Mares’ Chase in which in-form trainer Ben Pauling’s Harrys Hope bids to complete a hat-trick under Ben Jones after successes at Exeter and Southwell already this month.
Racing starts with the 12.50pm Greene King Hurdle in which Christian Williams has entered Catboy, a four-year-old gelding the Welsh trainer has also entered for the 3.50pm Racing TV Novice Hurdle. Whichever race Williams settles on, the Nick Schofield ridden four-year-old should go well.
James Owen’s Jubilant and Stuart Edmunds’ Miami Magic may both make hurdling debuts in the 1.50pm Coleman Maiden Hurdle while the 2.50pm Greene King Fillies’ Juvenile Hurdle at 2.50pm has just six entries, three of which are debutants. Owen’s debut is Ambiente Amigo and he has also entered Opec, a winner at Wetherby a fortnight ago.
