Preview of the West Norfolk Hunt meeting to be held at Fakenham Racecourse on Sunday April 14th 2019
By Graham Bishop
The West Norfolk Hunt point-to-point being held on Sunday at Fakenham Racecourse enjoys strong local support and welcomes a growing number of local retail outlets. By having access to the racecourse irrigation facilities Clerk of the Course, William Wales will be able to produce one of the best racing surfaces to be found during the season.
The first of two pony races commence the action on the track at 1.15pm before the first of six scheduled point-to-point races is due to start at 2:00 p.m..
This first contest is a PPORA club Members’ Conditions race for veteran and novice riders has recent winners Local Show, Abbey Lane and Dido amongst the entries.
Local Show has been travelling the country in search of victories, the fourth and most recent of which was at Penshurst three weeks ago. Abbey Lane won a similar race at Horseheath two weeks ago following several placed efforts, whilst course winner Dido won at Guilsborough last weekend.
The largest entry is to be found in the second race, in which Postbridge, a stable companion of Local Show holds an entry after just failing to hold Chapelier in a driving finish at High Easter last week. This Breac is the only entry to have won this season, having been victorious in a conditions race at Ampton, but has since failed to finish at Horseheath. Bi Quini Tiep and For ‘n’ Against both won twice last season and could soon strike, whilst Silvergrove has been placed in two hunter chases on his return to action following a year out.
Both For ‘n’ Against and Silvergrove hold entries in the Ladies and Mens Open races respectively. Only five entries have been received for the Ladies Open, two of which are provided by the Turner Family. Their Sa Kaldoun has been placed in all four start this season, running respectable races behind Laurium, Top Smart and Start Royal, whilst Kriss William finished second to Dont Do Mondays at High Easter last week, all of these winners being ridden by Izzie Marshall (will For ‘n’ Against be another?). Tullys Touch is entered in both this race and the Mens Open. The 6-y-o was ridden to victory by Gina Andrews in an Intermediate race at Garthorpe last time, having previously been ridden by her brother, Jack, when winning a Restricted at Ampton and then being touched off in an Intermediate at Horseheath.
Along with Tullys Touch and the afore-mentioned Silvergrove, the entries for the Men’s Open race includes the first and second from last seasons “Restricted Final” Hunter ‘Chase at Stratford, namely Caryto des Brosses and Steeles Terrace. In that race at Stratford, Caryto des Brosses powered clear to beat Steeles Terrace by six lengths. His visits to the track have been limited thus far this season, winning a Mixed Open at Garthorpe on his only start (in a similar time to that achieved by Tullys Touch on the same day) and currently waits for “good” ground conditions but may travel to Stratford for a hunter chase on the same day.
Steeles Terrace has only ventured onto the track twice this season, on both occasions at Higham in races won by the ‘late” Broken Eagle. On the second of those runs Steeles Terrace was pulled up with almost a circuit to run and a watching brief may be necessary.
Last seasons Open Maiden winner at this meeting, Multimedia, will be in search of a “home” win in the Restricted race for meeting secretary Julia Whales, whilst in the concluding Maiden race, trainer Andrew Pennock could unleash a newcomer to these shores in twice-raced Champagne Vintage.
Fakenham racecourse is situated two miles west of the town (Sat Nav NR21 7NY )
SIX SCHEDULED RACES PRECEDED BY TWO CHILDREN’S PONY RACES
FIRST PONY RACE 1.15pm FIRST STEEPLECHASE AT 2pm
OFFICIAL ADVANCE GOING: GOOD ( Watering taking place )
ADMISSION: ADULTS £12 ….Under 16s are admitted free
EASTER EGG HUNT, FACE PAINTING and BEST PICNIC COMPETITION
TRADESTANDS, CATERING OUTLETS AND LOCAL BOOKMAKERS ALL IN ATTENDANCE.
