Fontwell Park hosts summer jumps fixture – preview and tips for Wednesday’s seven races

Racing gets under way at 2.13 with a 2m5f novices’ hurdle in class four before take on the handicap hurdle in division two of class five.

In the opener (2.13), Pyffo was surprisingly turned over at very short odds on his last run and is expected to be better here but preference is for Gwash in the six-runner contest over the 2m5f trip, with Fergal O’Brien’s runner arriving off the back of falling at the last when well placed at Uttoxeter but prior to that was a fine winner at Warwick.

Race two on the card (2.43) is another six-runner event, this time a class four handicap hurdle over the extended three-mile distance. Powerhouse trainer Paul Nicholls sends Paddy De Pole to Fontwell and is a big player despite being put under the pump by the handicapper having brought up a hat-trick of wins at Hereford when last seen four weeks ago. Thirtyfour Thiry rates as the main danger, getting back on track when only finding one rival too good on his last spin.

The third race on the card (3.13) is a ten-runner handicap chase in class five over the 2m3f trip. Sussex trainer Gary Moore sends a live chance in this one with Call Off The Dogs, who is bidding for a hat-trick having won twice at Fontwell in his last two runs and is expected to be bang in there again and defy a 4lb hike in the weights. The main threat will likely come from Princess Midnight, who runs well fresh and can bring up a hat trick of her own after seven months away from the track.

The midway point of the card is reached with the 3m1f handicap hurdle in class five (3.43) and preference is for He Is A Cracker, who scored over the Fontwell fences in September and was an encouraging sixth over hurdles on reappearance at Warwick while race five (4.13) can go the way of Village Master, who has won four on the bounce over fences and is up 9lb in the weights here but can still grab another win.

The penultimate contest on Wednesday’s card sees ten runners tackle the class five handicap hurdle in division one (4.43). Amalfi Bay was only beaten a length at Stratford when last seen and can go one better here, with the main threat coming from Nadim, who won three-times last season and now in the hands of trainer Syd Hosie, was a decent third on seasonal reappearance at Huntingdon three weeks ago.

Finally, the card comes to a close with the division two handicap hurdle and it is another ten-runner event over the 2m3f trip (5.13) and the selection in the finale is for Blow Your Horn, a fine second at Warwick on May 30 and is taken to improve by one place in Sussex.

Fontwell selections - Wednesday (via Betfair)

2.13 - Gwash

2.43 - Paddy De Pole

3.13 - Call Of The Dogs

3.43 - He Is A Cracker

4.13 - Village Master

4.43 - Amalfi Bay

5.13 - Blow Your Horn