15:39 That’s it from Fakenham, one of the most delightful courses in the country – the only downside is just how inaccessible it is but you can’t have everything. Indeed if it were easier to get to it may indeed lose some of its charm.
Tomorrow, weather permitting, we will be at Hereford. Until then a very good evening.
15:37 An impressive winner to our finale with Friendly King the 11/4 second favourite winning very impressively by 16 lengths and judging by the cheering he was well backed on course.
Indeed he made the favourite Norwind look very flat footed as Andrew Tinkler bought him home after settling the George Baker trained gelding near the rear for most of the race.
The outsider Alloro set the pace and led until the third last after which he dropped out very quickly.
Norwind was in with every chance and looked the likely winner as they left the back straight, however when Friendly King was produced he had nothing to offer, indeed he was so tired at the end that Lord Brunello managed to bag second place.
14:57 Another incident packed five runner chase, although this time the odds-on favourite managed to stay on his feet and win.
The commentator’s nightmare Pairc Na Gcapall made the running until they began the final circuit, where the jolly Freeze The Flame joined him and by the 13th had a clear lead.
Shortly before the final circuit Iron Hague unseated Willie McCarthy when in a challenging position.
As they turned for home the favourite had a good lead but Pairc Na Gcapall was trying to rally, but never made any real impression on the leader who won by eight lengths.
Spare Me unseated Christian Williams at the last when a long way back in third but was remounted to claim the £668 third place prize money.
The other runner, Finnegans Rainbow, was always behind and pulled up before two out.
14:32 One of the delights of National Hunt racing is the old favourites keep coming back year after year and in our fourth race we had one such runner.
Many of you may not have heard of Cool Roxy but to the regulars here at Fakenham he is a standing dish having won here ten times over the years.
Fakenham is a tight course and as a result in a three mile race they pass the stands four times. The first three times they passed the stands Cool Roxy was in the lead and how the crowd roared?
However as they went out on the final circuit he was headed by both Big Rob and the favourite The Dark Lord. As they turned out of the back straight the local hero was in last place.
Two out it was a three way go for the lead with Big Rob, The Dark Lord and Ocean Du Moulin all jumping the fence together.
Turning for home it looked to be between Big Rob and The Dark Lord but the crowd was stirring and a roar developed, it seemed Cool Roxy had been taking a breather and was running on again.
The Dark Lord jumped into the lead at the last but Cool Roxy was running on and was now in second place.
The run-in here at Fakenham is very short and Cool Roxy dis not have the chance to catch the favourite.
Almost a fairytale 11th win but not quite.
14:08 Another very worthwhile raid from South Wales, this time for Tim Vaughan’s Little Shilling, who was a winning odds-on favourite. In the process, the horse claimed his fourth victory in 14 days, a great training performance.
Nessen Dorma set the pace for the first four flights before living up to his name and falling asleep, eventually pulling up.
Little Shilling then took up the running and was never headed and never in danger, although his winning distance of a mere 14 lengths was the “closest” of the afternoon.
Actually we did have something of a battle for second place for which Goscar Rock looked to be booked, however Supa Tramp had other ideas and rallied to claim second place by 1¼ lengths.
The remainder trailed home in their own time.
13:39 We have an even shorter priced favourite in the next with Little Shilling trading at 1/3. Would you want to back it?
13:28 Wow that was one heck of a race, there may only have been five runners but it was full of incident.
At the first fence Kings Quay went through the top and Dougie Costello did well to stay on board.
Afsoun was sent off the 4/11 favourite and jumped well, with a clear lead, until the sixth fence where he blundered through the top giving Marcus Foley no chance of keeping the partnership intact.
This left course and distance winner Silvo in front, with Kings Quay keeping him company. The remaining pair, Peak Seasons and Boscall Hill followed on at their own pace.
Come the third last Silvo and Kings Quay were together but the latter looked to be going the stronger.
As they approached the second last Kings Quay did indeed run on and came home an unchallenged 18 length winner, with Silvo in second and Boscall Hill left in third after Peak Seasons fell at the last.
Peak seasons was remounted to take the fourth prize money – luckily judge Dave Smith was still in his box when he crossed the line.
So a good result for the bookmakers and some very shocked punters who took the odds-on.
13:07 A very short price favourite in our second with Afsoun currently trading at 4/9.
12:57 No doubt we have going here that is quite soft underfoot as the runners in our first, a two mile hurdle, came home really well strung out.
Although we had nine runners the betting was very tight with a mini gamble sending off Bosamcliff the well backed favourite with three others within a point. However the gamble proved to be unfounded as Bosamcliff trailed home a very tired sixth and was never in contention.
The win paid off for trainer Evan Williams who made the long trek from South Wales.
Galley Slave set the pace, tracked by Sydney Sling and original favourite Gross Profit.
Galley Slave dropped out as they left the back straight for the final time leaving Sydney Sling and Gross Profit in front.
Come the second last Sydney Sling had opened the throttle and was pulling away with no real challenger. Gunnadoit did run on from the pack but never challenged the leader who ended up winning, as he pleased, by 18 lengths from Gunnadoit who, in turn, came home 10 lengths ahead of Gross Prophet
12:06 Good afternoon from Fakenham where the sun is out but it is a chilly three degrees - that would be a good name for a pop combo!!
There has been 20mm of rain overnight and the going is Soft, good to soft in the back straight.
We currently have two non-runners, both in the same race.
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Non-Runners
1:50
2 Orchard House (Colic - SC)
4 Blueland (Bruised Foot - SC)
2:20 7 Leopold
Results
12:50
1st 7 Sydney Sling 4/1
2nd 5 Gunnadoit 6/1
3rd 4 Gross Prophet 7/2
9 Ran
Distances 18 & 10
Fav 8 Bosamcliff 3/1 (6th)
Tote
Win £6.30
Place £2.00 £1.90 £1.60
Exacta £37.40
CSF £27.33
Time 4' 22.4"
1:20
1st 3 Kings Quay 3/1
2nd 5 Silvo 14/1
5 Ran
Distances 18l
Fav 1 Afsoun 4/11 (Fell)
Tote
Win £4.90
Place £2.10 £4.10
Exacta £14.10
CSF £30.33
Time 4' 40.7"
1:50
1st 1 Little Shilling 3/10 fav
2nd 3 Supa Tramp 25/1
3rd 5 Goscar Rock 10/1
8 Ran NR's 2 & 4
Distances 14 & 1 1/4
Fav winner
Tote
Win £1.20
Place £1.02 £3.50 £2.20
Exacta £10.90
CSF £12.45
Time 6' 41.5"
2:20
1st 3 The Dark Lord 6/4 fav
2nd 1 Cool Roxy 6/1
6 Ran NR 7
Distances 2l
Fav winner
Tote
Win £2.50
Place £1.50 £2.10
Exacta £6.80
CSF £10.58
Time 7' 00.0"
2:50
1st 2 Freeze The Flame 10/11 fav
2nd 4 Pairc Na Gcapall 9/2
5 Ran
Distances 8l
Fav winner
Tote
Win £2.00
Place £1.30 £1.90
Exacta £6.30
CSF £5.42
Time 6' 03.8"
3:20
1st 6 Friendly King 11/4
2nd 7 Lord Brunello 4/1
3rd 9 Norwind 15/8 fav
10 Ran
Distances 16 & 2
Fav third
Tote
Win £3.80
Place £1.40 £1.30 £1.40
Exacta £12.00
CSF £13.64
Time 5' 36.3"
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