They’re jumping into action at Fontwell Park

FONTWELL PARK bosses are gearing up for a busy end to 2014 – and a pleasingly-hectic 2015.
Theboyfromnowhere on his way to winning the Southern National   Picture by Clive Bennett / www.polopictures.co.ukTheboyfromnowhere on his way to winning the Southern National   Picture by Clive Bennett / www.polopictures.co.uk
Theboyfromnowhere on his way to winning the Southern National Picture by Clive Bennett / www.polopictures.co.uk

The course stages five afternoons of jump racing between now and the end of the year, which includes a seven-race card today (Fri 7) afternoon, Southern National Raceday on Sunday week and their big Boxing Day bash.

And they have been handed another 24-strong fixture list for next year, which includes a new time year for Ladies’ Evening plus all their usual feature meetings.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Today’s top race is the Louise and Mark Mares’ Handicap Hurdle, a class-three contest, at 2.40pm, which has a field of nine.

Gary Moore’s Flute Bowl and Hi Note – a Sheena West horse that won at odds of 20/1 at Fontwell a fortnight ago – could be worth watching.

Entries for the bumper – the Ben Charrington Standard Open National Hunt race – feature some interesting creatures.

They include David Pipe’s All Force Majeure, who is already a bumper winner after a success at Worcester, and Oh so Fruity – a half-brother to Fruity O’Rooney.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Today’s card starts at 1.10pm and the last is off at 4.10pm. The current going is soft, good to soft in places.

Sunday week brings a day of action sponsored by totepool and headlined by the £20,000 Southern National, Fontwell’s second-richest race of the year.

Rebecca Curtis’ Boyfromnowhere won last year, ridden by Patrick Corbett, but entries for the 2014 renewal have yet to be revealed.

Other highlights of the day will include a £13,000 handicap steeple chase and the £10,000 Salmon Spray Stakes.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Admission on Sunday week starts from £10 in advance – see www.fontwellpark.co.uk or call 01243 543335.

Fontwell marketing manager George Hill said: “It should be an excellent day’s racing. The Southern National is a very good race and always well supported by many top trainers. We look forward to seeing entries early next week.”

The figure-of-eight track has been handed the same number of fixtures again next year – 24. The programme is broadly similar to last year although Ladies’ Evening is being brought forward by three months to Friday, May 1.

The full fixture list can be seen in this week’s Chichester, Bognor and Midhurst Observer (Nov 6 edition).

STEVE BONE

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Our tips: 1.10 The Green Ogre, 1.40 Ballydague Lady, 2.10 Don’t Do Mondays, 2.40 Flute Bowl, 3.10 Join The Navy, 3.40 Strange Bird, 4.10 Detroit Bird.

See a report and video from Fontwell’s Friday racing on this website