THREE winners from Fakenham’s most recent National Hunt meeting in mid-January, are among the initial entries for the north Norfolk course’s Valentines Raceday on Friday (February 13).
Belle Montrose, the shock 40/1 winner of the Queen Boudicca Mares’ Chase Final is among the eight entries for the 2.50pm Terry Moyise Memorial Mares’ Chase along with the Noel Williams trained Moviddy, who finished third in that race.
The Sam Drinkwater trained Belle Montrose had also scored at Fakenham in October, and she heads an interesting entry which also includes Evan Williams’ Followango, the eight-year-old mare successful at Ffos Las a fortnight ago.
Alex Hales saw his Belcamo win at Fakenham last time and that gelding has a chance to repeat the feat in the opening 1.20pm £150,000 Prize Money on May 4 Handicap Hurdle. There are 15 entries, including Mark Walford’s Market Rasen runner-up Character Testing and Martin Keighley’s Postponed Legacy, a Wincanton second following victory at Uttoxeter in December.
Pam Sly trained Apieceovfortune to win at the last meeting and her six-year-old mare is among 15 entries for the 4pm Racing TV Novices’ Handicap Hurdle, again under Paul O’Brien.
Lucy Wadham’s Wetherby runner-up Castanea Breeze and Matt Crawley’s Dartmouth Rose, a Fakenham winner in October, are also among the initial entries.
The 1.50pm Tim Barclay Memorial Chase over further than three and a half miles will take some getting on the predicted soft going and Wadham has an interest Brother Boris, third at Fakenham’s last meeting but now setting out over a much longer trip.
Animal, for Suzy Smith, and Billy Aprahamian’s Seasmoke, a Market Rasen winner in November, are also among the 10 initial entries.
The 2.20pm EBF Novice Hurdle could be more than interesting if the 14 opening entries stand their ground. Nicky Henderson has Plumpton winner Quay Item and Hereford winner Laguna Beach, Paul Nicholls has Wincanton scorer Swinging Safari and Jamie Snowden has the grey Exeter winner Johnny’s Jury while other winners include Toby Lawes’ No Cure and Gary and Josh Moore’s The Boss Bear. Add Ben Pauling’s Four Springs, a Hereford winner who has since undergone wind surgery, and the stage is set for a cracker.
The 3.25pm William Bulwer Long Memorial Open Hunters’ Chase sees Dan Skelton’s Snipe in the initial line-up, the nine-year-old a Hereford winner in January and fourth in the Sodexo Gold Cup at Ascot in November behind Henry’s Friend.
The closing 4.35pm Racing TV Open Flat contest sees Skelton with Chepstow runner-up Cooltobecareless, Nigel Twiston-Davies with Lingfield runner-up Itsinthename and Nicholls with debutant Beau Speed among the entries.
