There are 100 initial entries for Fakenham Racecourse’s six-race Christmas raceday scheduled for Tuesday (December 17th).
The feature race of the day is the 1.40pm Sky Sports Racing Handicap Chase over two miles and five furlongs, a contest worth more than £16,000.
Among the 12 entries are four last time out winners, Eureu Du Boulay, Kilbrew Boy, One Style and Thomas Todd.
Eureu Du Boulay, a gelding from Richard Hobson’s yard was a Fontwell winner in November while One Style, trained by Venetia Williams, hasn’t been seen on a racecourse since two victories, at Market Rasen and Hereford, in April 2018.
Kilbrew Boy, trained by Ben Case, was a winner at Fakenham’s Christmas raceday last year, but that was over hurdles. The gelding will be having his third chase, having been a runner-up before winning last time at Wincanton.
Thomas Todd, trained by Laura Morgan, knows his way around the north Norfolk track, having scored at the October 30 meeting over the same distance.
Laura will be hoping for more success in the 2.40 pm Fakenham Christmas Novice Handicap Chase when she has Gold Field entered. The five-year-old will be making a chasing debut, having been third at Fakenham, over hurdles, at the last meeting.
The action begins at 12.40 pm with a mares’ novice hurdle over two miles in which Tom George has entered Zoutoise while that event is followed by a handicap hurdle over three miles at 1.10 pm.
Wymondham-based trainer Caroline Fryer has two entries in five-year-old Amethea and seven-year-old Schap while Fakenham regular Olly Murphy has the likely favourite in Todd, a winner on the same card last year and also a winner at the course’s last meeting on November 19 when accounting for three rivals.
One interesting contender in the original entry list for the 2.10 pm Handicap Hurdle is the Michael Scudamore trained Justice Knight, the seven-year-old gelding a winner last time at Musselburgh.
The card closes with the 3.10 pm Happy Christmas Maiden Hurdle for which there has been an initial entry of 20 runners.
And the day, and the calendar year could end with a royal winner. Master trainer Nicky Henderson has four-year-old Steal A March among the runners, the gelding, owned by The Queen, fourth on hurdling debut at Newbury early in November.
Report by Terry Redhead
By the way, we do encourage all racegoers to get into Christmas spirit and support the National Christmas Jumper Day by wearing their favourite Christmas Jumper on Tuesday’s race day and donating £2 (optional) to Save The Children charity.
