LUCY LOOKS TO LAUNCH THE ADMIRAL FOR ANOTHER TOP PRIZE
Newmarket trainer Lucy Wadham’s Admiral Barratry, a winner at the last meeting at Fakenham, is one of 21 initial entries for the £16,000 feature race this coming Friday. (February 19).
Provided the current cold weather spell relents and the north Norfolk course is raceable, the action should be thick and fast for a seven-race card that has attracted 129 entries.
Feature is the 3.42pm Tim Barclay Chase in which Admiral Barratry is one of five last time out winners entered. At the end of January the eight-year-old gelding won over course and distance under a great ride from Bryony Frost and is sure to be one of the favourites if taking up the option to run.
Others entered include Peter Bowen’s Francky Du Berlais, an Exeter winner, Sedgefield scorer Manwell, trained by Sam England, and Matt Sheppard’s Risk and Roll, not seen for 11 months, but previously successful at both Stratford and Leicester.
Half an hour earlier the novice hurdle has attracted 20 entries, seven of which won last time, including Nicky Henderson’s Ballingers Corner, victorious at Market Rasen on his debut under rules in November.
Also entered are Nigel Twiston-Davies’ Fontwell winner Beauport and Paul Nicholls’ Wincanton scorer Flash Collonges. Sheldon, a winner over course and distance for Seamus Mullins at the last meeting, is also in the initial line-up.
Chris Gordon’s December Ascot runner-up Blame The Game and Winds of Fire, representing Evan Williams, runner-up at Hereford in January, are entered in the 1.42pm opening Helhoughton Novice Hurdle.
Jockey James Davies has been booked to ride the Andy Irvine trained Devious Dicks Dame, a recent Plumpton winner, in the 2.12pm Holt Selling Hurdle while there are 15 entries for the 2.42pm Sculthorpe Novice Chase over two miles.
They include En Coeur, Mullins’ recent Plumpton winner who narrowly beat Kap Auteuil on that occasion, the runner-up also holding a Fakenham entry. Richenda Ford’s Leave My Alone, an eight-year-old mare, is also entered, having won over three miles at the track in January.
There are 24 entries for the 4.15pm William Bulwer Long Memorial Hunter Chase inlcuding the Tom Ellis trained Dubai Quest, a winner of four of his eight starts in point-to-points.
The finale, the Fakenham Maiden Open NH Flat Race, sees Harry Cobden booked to ride Nicholls’ newcomer Le Chiffre D’Or while Oliver Sherwood also has a debutant entered, in the shape of six-year-old gelding Francolin.
