Going: Soft

Race 1: Cortaflex for Horses Juvenile Hurdle [2m 2½f]

1: Sonning Star      2: Harry Tricker     3: Simba Sun

Winner owned: Mrs CL Kyle, trained: Nick Gifford, ridden: Noel Fehily

Without appearing to unleash any superstars, there was a fair smattering of promise on show for this, and the racegoers were treated to an exciting duel for the main honours. Sonning Star led approaching two out, was headed after it, only to regain the lead when Harry Tricker stumbled badly on landing at the last - did he have half an eye on the paddock exit, as there seemed little contact with the obstacle? In fact, the loss of direction was quite sharp and Jamie Moore spent a few strides defying gravity, which did his Placepot supporters a big favour, but could not retrieve the situation for those on for the win. In a way, the result reflected what was seen in the paddock, where Sonning Star looked very well and Harry Tricker was a little wound up. For a horse that tended to stick around a mile on the flat and had been behind fourth placed Souriceau in conditions less favourable to that rival last time, Sonning Star adapted to this surprisingly well.

Race 2: Canine & Feline Cortaflex Selling Hurdle [2m 2½f]  

1: A Double Ewe Bee      2: Prince Dundee      3: Desert Tommy

Winner owned: Mr RA Bracken, trained: Bill Turner, ridden: T O'Connor

Had the sponsors seen this coming, they could have named it the Canine Equines Selling Hurdle, as there were some excellent old rogues taking the field. The question that would solve the puzzle would be whether Desert Tommy would appreciate the drop into such low class and exploit the fact that he had 21 pounds in hand of Mohawk Star and double that and more on the rest. The answer was no, as he hated every yard, as indeed did Mohawk Star. Christian Williams at least appreciated that the bottom drawer oppo would only struggle to the line, so if he kept at Desert Tommy and stayed in touch, he may get away with it. It nearly worked, but after she cruised into the lead, A Double Ewe Bee made it look closer by idling badly in front, and veteran Prince Dundee was a fraction short of peak fitness.

Race 3: Cortaflex For People Handicap Chase [2m 6f]

1: Wild Ground     2: Ballyman      3: Massini Sunset

Winner owned: L Gilbert, trained: Brendan Powell, ridden: James Davies

To the naked eye a competitive race, this turned into a cakewalk as Wild Ground went clear two from home and did not let a mistake at the last disrupt her progress to victory. Although she had some attractive numbers by her name of late, they had come in selling handicaps - both chases and hurdles. In this instance, the top five in the weights had amassed two whole wins between them, so the damning phrase, 'seller in all but name' haunts the occasion. Ballyman at least ran better than his last couple of efforts. Massini Sunset had run well in his last couple, beating the winner on the most recent appearance, for which he was weighted to end up about level with her. This time, she got first run on him, and it might be significant that the two good days came with promising amateur Charlie Huxley on board - he may just have the horse's number. 

Race 4: EBF Clinically Proven Cortaflex Novice Hurdle [2m 2½f]

1: Theatre Dance     2: Supreme Ruler     3: Sovereign King

Winner owned: Francis Ward & Anthony Ward, trained: David Arbuthnot, ridden: Seamus Durack

Race 5: Equine America Hunter Chase [2m 4f]

1: Thisthatandtother     2: Back Nine     3: Soleil Fix

Winner owned: CG Roach, trained: Paul Nicholls, ridden: Nick Scholfield

An incredible training achievement, to take a horse that has run 17 of his 20 chases in Grades 1, 2 or 3 and is still rated 155, and win a Hunter Chase with him that pays £794 to the winning owner. Even allowing for the fact that his handicap rating is not dropping as quickly as age is diminishing Thisthatandtothers abilities, how many other yards in the country could afford to dismiss him into this level? Back Nine is not a bad hunter chaser, but he could not get in a blow, and the soft going suits him, whereas the winner had not triumphed on it since 2002!

Race 6: Equine America Handicap Hurdle [2m 2½f]

1: Bay Hawk     2: Tavalu     3: Carly Bay

Winner owned: Miss KE Anderson, trained: Brendan Powell, ridden: Mick Fitzgerald

What do we make of this race. Two recent improved runs suggest Bay Hawk relishes soft, and he was not in the least intimidated by the fact that he beat kippers on his win earlier in the week. On the other hand, Tavalu has been next to useless with cut, and his seriously good run looks out of place. If you are Kali (she of the many arms), the third hand is that Carly Bay, who only weakened in the last quarter of a mile, is a confirmed mudlark - some sort of regressive hippo gene, I imagine. And then again fourth placed Ghaill Force (still a maiden) usually avoids anything ground easier than good. The very well backed Ouragan Lagrange flopped, and paddock pick Royal Wedding was ineffective as well, despite being proven on soft ground. What on earth is going on? Or is this something more extra-terrestrial?

Race 7: HBLB Equine America Intermediate National Hunt Flat Race [1m 6f]

1: Dee Ee Williams     2: Wiesenfurst     3: Coco L'Escargot

Winner owned: Tullamore Dew, trained: Nick Gifford, ridden: Jay Pemberton

Seven of the field were newcomers, and the six with experience had achieved nothing of note, other than two of them had already contrived to run out in a race. Dee Ee Williams did not look physically bad in the paddock, but each time he passed the stable exit there was a brief panic/tantrum, a degree of greenness which augured badly for the race. The athletic side did not prove any sort of problem, scooting clear entering the straight and winning easily. There is probably improvement to come. Wiesenfurst finished well, going from out of the frame to second in the last furling or so.

Plus Points

Harry Tricker (race 1): Lost the race at the last flight, but is not short of ability.

Jeanquiri (race 1): Won her only French hurdle at Auteuil, but had disappointed twice in the UK. She responded to a bit of scrubbing and pushing this time, as if she is getting to grips with British racing. The question is how the handicapper balances the Auteuil triumph against the other defeats.

Wild Ground (race 3): Has not been taking on any noteworthy opponents, but in four chase runs here she has a win and two second places, and Fontwell's chase course is traditionally very friendly to course specialists.

Le Forezien (race 3): Looked well and did not run too badly on going far too soft for him. He seems to both jump and travel better on good going and is well handicapped on his best form at the moment.

Theatre Dance (race 4): Won well, but most encouraging quickly put a second last hurdle mistake behind him and pinged the last to seal victory.

Fix The Rib (race 4): From Gary Moore's yard, which is more often associated with ex-flat recruits, this Irish import ran pretty well from the front.

Napolito (race 4): A rather erratic pointer despite being in a good yard and with top riders, he had shown almost zilch in two hurdles. Today he ran on strongly from the rear, without being knocked about, to be a much more encouraging sixth.

Tavalu (race 6): A replication of this run on unsuitable ground when it dries out might see his uninspiring record of 0 wins and 4 places from six hurdle runs improved.

Down Arrows

Souriceau (race 1): Was looking a bit dodgy, then redeemed himself by winning at Folkestone, then took two steps backwards with a very tame effort today

The Entire Field (race 2): A Double Ewe Bee did at least win, after making it hard for herself, but Prince Dundee is just turned 13 and has but two wins under Rules to his name. Desert Tommy, Hill Forts Henry, Mohawk Star and Lancier D'Estruval really, really wanted to be somewhere else, presumably in a field eating incessantly, and Paynestown Lad, another veteran, is being regularly stuffed in the lowest grades imaginable.

Shining Gale (race 4): Won over course and distance on good, but had been twice placed on good to soft, so this had to go down as flop.

Pride Of Dulcote (race 4): Was ridden a lap out and soon tailed off, in a very disappointing showing. It is possible that this was not a true reflection of his capabilities.

Ouragan Lagrange (race 6): Seemed to have found a good opening, but his rider was not happy a lap out, and when the pressure grew three from home, he wilted rapidly.

Royal Wedding (race 6): Impressed winning a Plumpton handicap, and despite subsequent defeat in a novice hurdle, looked reasonably treated and in good form for this. Which shows just how appearance can be deceptive...

UK-Jumping Selections

Master Darcy (race 4): Ran perfectly adequately to be fifth in a fair race, and although he drifted a little down the camber on the run-in, he did not show signs of seeking a sharp right hand dive.