08:12 It has been a dry night and the going is Good, Good to Firm in Places.

Our selections are:-

08:45 We currently have four non-runners, details on the right.

10:46 A few more non-runners, nearly all going related.

12:40 Good afternoon from a sunny Fontwell, where we have a seven race card and ten non-runners so far.

13:13 Tragic news here from Fontwell – the Curry shop (the best on any UK racecourse) has gone. On the 2½ drive to the course I was looking forward to the curry.

13:34 As has been the case during the rebuilding work, the finishing post has been moved 26 yards, so all races will be 26 yards shorter than advertised.

13:57 Our opening contest is the extended 2¾ mile Betfair Sponsors At Every UK Racecourse Novices’ Hurdle.

14:31 Something of a shock result in our Fontwell opener as Stormhoek the 1/2 favourite only managed to come home a 19 length second to Paul Nicholls Elevenses.

Stormhoek looked all the winner turning for home with only Elevenses looking to be a challenger.

Stormhoek did land awkwardly at the second last and seemed to slow afterwards. We will have to wait and see if anything is reported but the feeling is he may have jarred himself with the awkward landing.

The further they went the further Elevenses pulled clear.

If there was no doubt about first and second it was much more inconclusive for third spot with judge Felix Wheeler jiving a narrow verdict to Notmorebrandy, who had led for all the contest prior to Stormhoek hitting the front, over Musical Wedge who was running on well in the latter stages.   

Speaking afterwards Stormhoek’s trainer Alan King offered no explanation, simply saying the horse is “very ordinary”.

One for the sales perhaps?    

15:02 Something of a scrappy contest (being really harsh one could say the “s” was silent) and, like the first, the complexion of the race changed at the second last.

Louis Pasteur was about to take the lead two out when he really blundered at the fence, it was a miracle he stayed on his feet and the jockey remained on board and he did well to eventually come home 8th .

This left Like A Hurricane and Horseshoe Reef in front to battle it out and with For Non Stop the race was between these three.

Like A Hurricane still had a narrow advantage at the last but Horsehoe Reef was soon upsides and battle commences on the deceptively uphill run-in.

Like A Hurricane did, however, have sufficient in hand to pull three-quarters of a length clear. For Non Stop never looked like challenging the front pair and came home 2¼ lengths further back in third.

The winner had been settled mid-division before making progress turning for home, whilst Horseshoe Reef had shard the pace with Louis Pasteur.

The favourite, Time To Play, was with the leaders turning for home but folded tamely in the home straight.    

15:26 Only seven lined up for the 2m 4f Betfair Sponsors Pride Of Racing Dinner Handicap Chase and it was something of a penalty kick for the favourite Ray Mond who made all and, despite a mistake at the last, never looked to be in any danger.   

Honour’s Dream who shared second spot with Laharna throughout was the only challenger in the final stages and, although closing on the run-in, never looked to be a threat to the winner.

15:32 Next up is the 2m 4f Betfair Funds PJA Doctor “Hands & Heels” Jumps Series Handicap Hurdle, with 14 facing the starter.

16:04 Well certainly a case of horses for courses as Days For Pleasure takes this hands and heels contest for the second year running, although at half way you wouldn’t even have bet a brass fathing on him winning.

Indeed this was a contest where a number of the runners ran in snatches, including the favourite Little Firecracker and the well fancied Waarid.

Ramvaswani is a temperamental so and so and today was no exception. As usual taking a strong hold he led until deciding to run out at the third flight.

This left Wondersobright and Isintshelovely leading the pack and Wondersobright was still in front turning for home, with Coka having run on well to challenge.

However Days Of Pleasure had also sprouted wings, hitting the front two out and running well clear to record a 20 length victory.

Waarid came home second with Romney Marsh third.

16:35 Only four runners for our second chase the Betfair Supports Moorcroft Racecourse Welfare Centre Handicap Chase.

Bubble Boy set out to make all in a contest where they pass the judge four times.

Indeed Bubble Boy led until they turned for home the final time when first of all Ballyguleen then Fine Parchment passed him and battled it out for home.

Ballyguleen looked as though he was going to win the battle bit Fine Parchment plugged on to lead in the run-in, recording a five length victory.

17:03 This 3m 3f handicap hurdle is one of the longest hurdles in the calendar and considering how far the race is they actually went a decent clip.

Acosta, Sir Punjabi and Herald Angel were the pacesetters although by the start of the final circuit Acosta was out of contention.

Sir Punjabi and Herald Angel were still to the fore beginning the turn for home with the latter having led for the final circuit.

Tanktastic made some decent progress as they approached the turn for home, running on to challenge the leaders. However he flattered to deceive and soon dropped back again.

Keepholdin also looked a danger but blew his chance with a mistake two out.

However the most eye catching run came from Konigsboke who came from last to run into second spot. However at this point Herald Angel was well clear, eventually recording a 28 length victory.

Sir Punjabi did battle back to try and challenge for third spot, but in vain and in all honesty the runners were finishing very tired indeed.

17:31 Unfortunately with the press box being so far away I was not able to flag up the big gamble on Philip Hobbs debutant, Sizing Santiago, in the bumper.

Just Tootsie set off to lead at a reasonable pace but was allowed to get on with it in front. Irish Airman and Glitzy D’Ocala let the chasing bunch, with the favourite settled mid-division.

There was not much strength in depth in the contest with the field reasonably well strung out by the time they turned for home.

As they did turn for home Richard Johnson came with a run on Sizing Santiago and was soon in the lead.

It looked as though the favourite would win as he wanted, however once in front he began to show signs of greenness and Johnson had to work hard to keep the geldings attention on the contest.

Glitzy D’Ocala sensing the discomfort of the leader began to close the gap but the line came in time for favourite backers and Sizing Santiago held on by a length.

Front running Just Tootsie stayed on to take third spot.

17:34 Well that is it from a sunny Sussex afternoon at, what I have to confess, is my favourite course.

Not exactly a competitive afternoons racing and probably typical pre-Cheltenham fare.

It was good to see a decent size crowd here this afternoon and the new grandstand looks to be coming on well.

Return to race archive:

Non-Runners

The time in brackets is the time the horse was officially declared a non-runner.

SC - Self Certificate
VC - Vet's Certificate

Non-runners

14:10
4 Kiribati King (going - 08:52)
8 Piper Royal (going - 08:21)
11 Whitcombe Spirit (going - 11:22)

14:40
9 Silver Accord (going - 09:18)

15:40
7 Flowerbud (poor blood alanysis - SC 09:21)

16:10
5 Gunship (no reason - SC 10:43 Tue)

16:40
2 Osokenda (going - 08:21)

17:10
1 Dragon's Roost (going -11:21)
6 Educated Evans (going - 07:54)
12 Sterling Chief (going - 09:19)


Results

14:10 Novices Hurdle 2m 6f 110yds

1st 2 Elevensies 11/2
2nd 10 Stormhoek 1/2 fav
3rd 6 Notmorebrandy 14/1
10 Ran Nr's 4 , 8 & 11
Distances 19 & 7
Fav second
Tote
Win £6.30
Places £1.40 £1.02 £3.10
Exacta £10.70
CSF £8.46
Time 5' 55.2"

14:40 Maiden Hurdle 2m 2f 110yds

1st 4 Like A Hurricane 9/1
2nd 3 Horsehoe Reef 13/2
3rd 2 For Non Stop 11/4
13 Ran Nr 9
Distances ¾ & 2¼
Fav 12 Time To Play 13/8 (6th)
Tote
Win £10.40
Places £3.10 £1.90 £1.40
Exacta £53.50
CSF £64.11
Time 4' 43.5"

15:10 Handicap Chase 2m 4f

1st 4 Ray Mond evens fav
2nd 2 Honour's Dream 25/1
7 Ran Nr 8
Distance 1½
Fav winner
Tote
Win £1.60
Places £1.30 £5.80
Exacta £23.50
CSF £22.87
Tricast £140.76
Time 5' 11.1"

15:40 Handicap Hurdle 2m 4f

1st 3 Days Of Pleasure 9/1
2nd 1 Waarid 9/2
3rd 2 Romney Marsh 12/1
14 Ran Nr 7
Distances 20 & 2½
Fav 6 Little Firecracker 3/1 (6th)
Tote
Win £11.20
Places £4.20 £2.10 £3.00
Exacta £62.20
CSF £50.40
Tricast £508.99
Time 5' 05.8"

16:10 Handicap Chase 3m 2f 110yds

1st 2 Fine Parchment 11/8 fav
2nd 3 Ballygulleen 3/1
4 Ran Nr 5
Distance 5
Fav winner
Tote
Win £2.00
Exacta £5.30
CSF £5.82
Time 7' 19.4"

16:40 Handicap Hurdle 3m 3f

1st 4 Herald Angel 13/2
2nd 3 Konigsbote 7/1
3rd 6 Sir Punjabi 6/1
9 Ran Nr 2
Distances 28 & 8
Fav 8 Keepholdin 5/2 (DH4)
Tote
Win £7.50
Places £2.00 £2.30 £1.90
Exacta £50.60
CSF £52.05
Tricast £290.06
Time 7' 03.5"

17:10 Open NH Flat 2m 2f 110yds

1st 14 Sizing Santiago 11/8 fav
2nd 7 Glitzy D'Ocala 8/1
3rd 9 Just Tootsie 18/1
12 Ran Nr's 1, 6 & 12
Distances 1 & 3½
Fav winner
Tote
Win £2.40
Places £1.30 £1.90 £4.10
Exacta £11.80
CSF £13.17
Time 4' 42.4"