FEMALE jockeys have a real chance of stealing the show when Fakenham stages its pre-Christmas seven-race Sky Bet National Hunt meeting on Sunday.
Apart from the £15,000 feature, the 2.15pm Sky Bet Super Sub Female Jockeys’ Chase, winners in at least two other races could be ridden by female riders.
A field of five contest the feature which looks competitive. Lilly Pinchin is no stranger to Fakenham success and partners James Owen’s Shantou Lucky. The eight-year-old has won at Uttoxeter, Newton Abbot and Plumpton this season and was fourth at Plumpton on Monday, notably turned out again very quickly.
Heidi Palin partners Dan Skelton’s Frere d’Armes while No But I Will runs for the first time for trainer Julian Smith after leaving Robert Llewellyn’s yard. Jessica Milly Smith rides the recent Chepstow third.
Moon Hunter, Alice Stevens for trainer Sarah Humphrey and the Harry Derham trained Bolsover Bill under Victoria Malzard, complete the line-up.
The 2.45pm Sky Bet Club Chase could go to Isabelle Ryder’s mount, the appropriately named Barry Brennan trained He Is A Cracker, who has done all his previous running at Fontwell.
Main rival in the six-runner field over a marathon three miles and five furlongs is Neil King’s 11-year-old veteran Enjoy d’Allen under Lilly Jones. The gelding was runner-up at Plumpton over a shorter distance on Monday.
Fern O’Brien rides hat-trick seeking Zenato for her father, trainer Fergal O’Brien, in the 12.45pm Sky Bet Extra Places Hurdle. The four-year-old has won at Sedgefield and Stratford and has five rivals, including Toby Bulgin’s Merely A Detail, recently third at Exeter.
Action begins with the 12.15pm Sky Bet Acca Freeze Mares’ Hurdle which sees the Stuart Edmunds trained Hello Sweetie looking to fare better than when falling at Fakenham recently. Since, she has been a Southwell runner-up and looks a likely type along with Sedgefield runner-up Yanka Blue, running for the first time for John and Rhys Flint.
In the six-runner 1.15pm Sky Bet Queen Boudicca Mares’ Series Chase qualifier, Tankardstown Diva goes for Tom Ellis with brother-in-law Jack Andrews in the saddle, the mare having been second at Huntingdon after Ludlow and Market Rasen wins.
Main opposition looks like Nigel Twiston-Davies’ I Am The Moon, Skelton’s Settle Down Jill and Tom Gretton’s Overabottleofred, last seen winning at Huntingdon in April.
Andrews and Ellis have Tony Joe, a hurdle debutant, in the 1.45pm Sky Bet Build A Bet Hurdle while the closing 3.15pm Sky Bet for the Fans Hurdle could go to Owen’s Girl of Gold.
