Almost 100 initial entries have been received for the second meeting of Fakenham Racecourse’s 2020/21 National Hunt season which takes place on Wednesday (October 28).
As with the opening meeting of the new season just over a week ago, racing will take place behind closed doors, with no members of the public allowed, due to the Covid restrictions.
The seven-race fixture, supported by Greene King, sees a class three chase as the feature of the day and six entries have been received for the contest, the Greene King IPA Novice Chase over two miles at 3.02pm.
Champion jockey Brian Hughes has been booked by northern-based trainer Donald McCain to ride hat-trick seeking Gaelic Coast, the six-year-old gelding a winner at Doncaster in January and at Bangor the following month.
The excellent prize money on offer has also attracted entries from the stables of top trainers Paul Nicholls and Nicky Henderson in the form of Mick Pastor and Fred.
The Nicholls trained Mick Pastor, with Harry Cobden booked to ride, was last seen finishing 10th in the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in March.
Fred, a five-year-old gelding, is another hat-trick seeker, his last two runs ending in victories at Musselburgh in February and at Kempton the previous Boxing Day.
Fakenham’s two ‘Double Up’ bonus races have attracted a large number of initial entries. The two contests are both handicap hurdles, at 2.32pm over three miles and at 3.32pm over two miles.
The Greene King IPA Handicap Hurdle at 2.32pm has 17 entries and they include the Olly Murphy trained pair Todd and Vinnie’s Getaway, the former a course and distance winner in November last year and Vinnie’s Getaway finishing third at Ludlow three weeks ago.
A total of 19 entries have been received for the 3.32pm Greene King IPA Handicap Hurdle including the interesting Operatic Export from Dr Richard Newland’s yard. The horse is another seeking a hat-trick of victories, after winning, at Newton Abbott and Sedgefield, both in September.
The card starts at 1.02pm and closes at 4.02pm with the Hempton National Hunt Open flat race over two miles. Entries include a possible seven debutants as well as the Alex Hales trained Sun Rising Hill. The four-year-old was a winner of a point-to-point at Buckfastleigh on debut before scoring at Market Rasen in September on a first run for Hales, who has an excellent record at the north Norfolk track.
Terry Redhead – Racing Pundit
Next Race
