Ladies are the centre of attention at Fontwell Park

FONTWELL PARK is back with a bang tonight as it stages one of its biggest meetings of the year.

A crowd of around 4,000 is expected at the track’s Ladies’ Night, its first race card after a two-month summer break.

There are seven races, live music afterwards and a £2,000 prize for the evening’s best-dressed lady.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

On the track, the action begins at 5pm with the Q Hair And Beauty 40th Anniversary Novices’ Hurdle and continues until the Northover Fuels Home Heating Oils Sussex Standard Open national hunt flat race at 8pm.

After a whopping number of more than 170 entries were received across the card, yesterday’s final declarations left some good-sized fields with a total of 90 runners in the seven races.

Last year’s equivalent meeting saw trainer Tim Vaughan and jockey Richard Johnson team up for four wins and this year Vaughan has some strong contenders, notably Ivan Vasilevich in the 5.00, Erdeli in the 7.00 and One Flag Please in the 8.00.

The biggest fields are 16-strong - for both the Courtesan Boutique, Worthing, West Sussex Handicap Hurdle at 7.00 and the Yeomans Honda Handicap Hurdle at 7.30.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It’s a big night for Tracy Skinner, who oversees her first race meeting after taking over from Holly Glover as Fontwell’s general manager a few weeks ago.

She said: “It’ll be lovely to finally have a racing event to get stuck into. I’ve been here for six weeks and really feel I’ve settled in and got to know everyone.

“It should be a fantastic night. The weather looks like it will be kind to us and we’re all set for a memorable occasion.

“Ticket sales have definitely picked up this week, now the Olympics are over and people are looking for other things to do with their evenings.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After the seven races, there’s live music from The Magic of Take That.

The competition to crown the best-dressed lady, which will be hosted by radio presenter Kevin King, begins around 5.15 by the stage on the grassed area behind the stands.

Gates open at 3pm.

OUR TIPS: 5.00 Cabimas, 5.30 Catch The Rascal, 6.00 Silver Six, 6.30 Escardo, 7.00 Erdeli, 7.30 Lahib The Fifth, 8.00 Royal Native.

Related topics: