CHAMPION TRAINER BREWING UP FOR A RAID ON FAKENHAM
Greene King are the major sponsors when Fakenham Racecourse stages its second meeting of the 2021/22 National Hunt racing season on Wednesday (October 27).
The Bury St Edmunds-based brewers are backing the second half of the six-race card, including the feature Greene King IPA Novice Chase at 2.40pm which has attracted eight initial entries.
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls has entered two for the £17,000 contest over two miles. He has Atholl Street and Brewers Project, the former running in the colours of Grand National winning owner Trevor Hemmings, who sadly died a few weeks ago.
Atholl Street will be making a chasing debut having been runner-up over hurdles twice at Taunton a year ago. Brewers Project will also be making a chasing debut, having won over hurdles at Chepstow in April.
Former champion jockey Brian Hughes, early leader in the jockey title race this season, is booked to ride Donald McCain’s Cenotice, a Perth winner in July, while Jamie Moore rides Sopran Thor, trained by his father Gary and a Warwick hurdle winner in April, who will also be making his chasing debut.
The finale, the 3.50pm Greene King IPA Novice Chase over three miles has attracted 13 entries, three of whom have got the winning habit.
Milton Harris has entered Achy Breaky Heart, a Plumpton and Huntingdon winner earlier this month while Jamie Snowden plans a run for recent Stratford winner Representing Bob.
Seamus Mullins saw his six-year-old geldingTommie Beau win three times in May, at Plumpton, Hexham and Fakenham, and after a lengthy break that gelding is also entered for the contest which brings down the curtain on a six-race card.
The opening 12.55pm maiden hurdle features Minella Plus for the Hughes and McCain combination, the gelding a runner-up at Sedgefield on hurdles debut earlier this month. One rival could be Ted’s Friend under Max Kendrick for trainer Fergal O’Brien. The gelding was second in a Warwick bumper and would be making his hurdling debut.
Makety, from Oliver Sherwood’s stable has been entered for the 1.30pm Mares’ Novice Chase, the seven-year-old having won at Worcester in September while the 2.05pm Fillies’ Juvenile Hurdle sees Harris plan to run Aliomaana, a recent Perth winner.
Trainer Stuart Edmunds, who loves sending his horses to Fakenham, has booked Cieran Gethings for the ride in the same race, on Ramure, twice a Sedgefield runner-up in September.
ENDS – 395 words.
