Fontwell 06/02/11

Another topical point of debate. The racecard noted that for 2011, the Levy Board grant for prize money to Fontwell is £322,830. That amounts to about £20,000 per meeting. Most here are seven races, so let us be cautious and say that equates to £2,700 per race. More or less every race here has some form of sponsor. It is hard to imagine that packages are cheaper than £500, but let us assume bulk discount means this is a conservative £300 per race. Why, therefore, should any race here have less than £3,000 total prize money? Most people will accept that bumpers are below this, as their purpose is as much educational as competitive, so that saves some for other races. Extra sponsorship and course contribution can make up the difference in better races.

Going: Soft (officially Good to Soft for race 1)

Race 1: Tiana Honey Watson Fund Juvenile Hurdle [2m 2.5f]

1: Whitby Jack     2: Kuilsriver     3: Omaruru

Winner owned: CE Stedman, trained: Gary Moore, ridden: Jamie Moore

This contained no apparent stars in the making, but several had shown enough promise up to this point to think that they could carve out a jumping niche for themselves. One of those was Whitby Jack, eventually a comfy winner. After running two of his three flat races on good to firm, it was tempting to blame much softer ground for his flops over hurdles so far. In fact, today proved that Whitby Jack simply needed a lower standard than Ascot and Sandown, and better jumping, for it to come right. Gary Moore's team being in better form has helped as well. Which happened here. Kuilsriver and Omaruru both keep running well, but have not managed to nose in front, and are not doing their handicap marks any good by regularly threatening solid oppo either. Crazy fools. 

Race 2: Keith Williams 50th Birthday Handicap Chase [2m 2f]

1: Bertenbar     2: Ilewin Tom     3: Jack's Lad

Winner owned: Mr TJ Wyatt, trained: Henrietta Knight, ridden: Andrew Thornton

Quite a strange race overall. The manic front running of Bertenbar ensured that those of lesser staying power could not cope with conditions, yet somehow the stayers managed to live with the pace her set. The physics (or is it metabolics) of how this can happen are not entirely clear. Ilewin Tom spreadeagled a weak field at Folkestone during the week, so had to run before handicapping crucifiction was suffered, but he was dropping down from three miles, and did not quite have the zip. The one to take advantage was Bertenbar, ending a long losing run for his yard, and a shorter, but career long, one for himself. Jack's Lad won a similarly bemusing race in December, possibly in a break between blizzards being the only really fit contender, but cannot repeat it. Keyneema's price shorted eyecatchingly from 9/1 to 4/1, but on a nondescript Sunday, how much money does that require? It was an irrelevance as he flopped badly, getting tailed off by halfway.

Race 3: EBF/Sam Mathers 888soport.com Competition Winner Novice Hurdle [2m 2.5f]

1: Captain Kirkton     2: Get It On     3: Cantlow

Winner owned: Miss Gill Arthur, trained: Gary Moore, ridden: Jamie Moore

Having created a good impression with his Lingfield win, even though the runner-up is a bit shy of success, Captain Kirkton was able to do the same again, seeing off 125-rated Get It On without really batting an eyelid, or in the prevailing gloomy conditions, eyeing a bat either. It took the runner-up a while to get his act together, and followed two Market Rasen wins with a poor show at Wincanton, but he now has a few good days to his name, and that speaks in Captain Kirkton's favour. Cantlow was involved in the triple headed fight for the minor placing, and showed some useful staying power to come out best.

After jumping off sharply, Airdrie (nearest) is keen to ensure that his leaping the first hurdle it is recorded for posterity. Going out from his left, Allerford Jack, Cantlow and Featherbed Lane have a difference of opinion over what constitutes a straight line. 

Race 4: Ward-Thomas Master Removers Handicap Chase [3m 2.5f]

1: Wide Receiver     2: Stop The Show     3: Guydus

Winner owned: Girls Allowed, trained: Charlie Morlock, ridden: Jimmy McCarthy

Tactics were the biggest factor in deciding this, as Wide Receiver's two previous wins had come when allowed to control the race. The risk for his followers is that when he does not win, he is usually shocking, even when things go his way, so is never going to fluke a close one. He handled ground here which was off of his beaten track, and for those who seek something more than a form pick, the day of the Super Bowl had to be the one it came right for Wide Receiver. The first pair to finish jumped the last together, but the runner-up just saw out the trip less well. Stop The Show seems to work best on an undulating track, where the pace is a bit stop-start, and when he recently won a chase for the first time, it was the seventeenth attempt, so his presence in second shows that this was not the toughest question ever asked of the winner. Guydus finished three and a half lengths behind the winner, which was about the same deficit he had from the second last. This was a far, far more competitive effort than in his other two chases, and with no sign of the reluctance occasionally hinted at before. There was market support for dual course winner Brushford, but he was a doubtful contender to relish three and a quarter miles (and a bit), and the outcome supported that. He has not been in top form leading up to this anyway.

Wide Receiver (9) shows the way, as he preferred, with temporary challenges from No More Whispers and Heezagrey. Guydus (2) and Brushford (8) lead the more restrained efforts. Caspar Of Tarsus (1) hides Quelclasse. Portrait Royale joins them, as a patient Stop The Show loiters out of picture.

Race 5: Elizabeth Armstrong Contemporary Equine Art Handicap Hurdle [2m 2.5f]

1: Marodima     2: Murcar     3: Just One Thing

Winner owned: Coles & Garbett Families Partnership, trained: Jamie Snowden, ridden: Daryl Jacob

It is tempting to think of Marodima as a wise old veteran, but as he is only eight that is really quite harsh on him - treating him like a young fogey. He is an exposed type in the context of handicaps, so to pop up and win this by eighteen lengths was quite a surprise - although his mark was twenty pounds below his last, but hardly recent, winning handicap rating. There were a smattering of rivals snapping at his heels two out but their threats drained away as Marodima just kept on up the rail to the winning post, to notch win number twelve. Murcar has hardly had a sniff of mud in a short career, and came from off the pace to land second, a bit better than might have been expected. He has occasionally looked an awkward ride, so whether he goes on from this is dependent on how his mood is on the day. Fourth placed Rimini seemed the most likely to challenge the winner as they turned for home, but he just trudged along at one pace and managed to be run out of the places.

"So was this a race, or what?" Marodima canters to another success.

Race 6: Wellpool Building And Maintenance Services Handicap Chase [2m 6f]

1: Royal Wedding     2: Extra Bold     3: Sordid Secret

Winner owned: DG Trangmar, trained: Nick Gifford, ridden: Liam Treadwell

This trip at Fontwell can be an inadequate test for them on decent ground, but what we had today was right up the street of out and out stayers like Extra Bold. Alas, he himself has only won on good or faster, so he was balancing a fine measure of conveniences and inconveniences and did not manage it. The tilt on the bad side of the scale was exploited by Royal Wedding , who has won on soft, but also has had some days which are less impressive - a narrow defeat to serial shirker Bormo is nothing to boast about. But he was up for it today, with the second near enough to stimulate any worries Royal Wedding may have had in the back of his mind. Having been conned into winning at Warwick recently when he had dogged, and almost double dogged, the job, Folie A Deux was in no mood to be tricked again, and got his way.

Race 7: Work And Leisurewear Corporate Clothing Intermediate National Hunt Flat Race  [1m 6f]

1: Queens Bay     2: Spirit D'Armor     3: Sircharleswatford

Winner owned: RM Fear & Mrs RR Dickinson, trained: Colin Tizzard, ridden: Richie McLernon

Perhaps it was the glories of Cue Card, but the visual appeal of many more runners in this than is the norm suggests that perhaps 1m 6f Fontwell bumpers are becoming ever so fashionable. The winner, not entirely unassociated with the Champion Bumper hero, was arguably the pick of the paddock, and despite dropping back from two mile races, Queens Bay came good at the third attempt. Spirit D'Armor won a French bumper at a venue that nobody can prove even exists back in July 2009. This was a good comeback from a subsequent absence. The other main choice from the paddock was newcomer Sircharleswatford. He made a challenge in the home straight, but had an awkward head carriage and was run out of second. Hopefully it was a sign of inexperience, and not a policy he is going to persist with. Fourth placed Dealing River made a good first stab at racing as well.

Plus points

Promised Wings (race 1): Only ran three times on the flat, winning a nine furlong race in Germany. After failing initially to keep tabs on the four that kicked clear at the end of the back straight, he kept on honestly, not bashed about, for a distant fifth. He ought to be able to improve on this first experience of jumping in anger.

Blinka Me (race 1): Started over hurdles at Cheltenham and has gradually eased in grade. Demands for great effort here were limited, and he is now ready for handicaps. Having won a modest one on the flat, he can do the same over hurdles.

Captain Kirkton (race 3): Don't say it too loudly, but are we on the verge of a decent jumps horse emerging from an all-weather bumper?

"Did you get that?" Captain Kirkton over-estimates the influence of UK-Jumping in building his reputation

Cantlow (race 3): Second in his only Irish point, this has the makings of a respectable hurdles debut, and can be improved upon as well.

Allerford Jack (race 3): Drew a blank in seven points, including 2m 4f maidens, but was fifth here, just behind 120-rated Featherbed Lane. It raises the train of thought that stamina has been his undoing so far, and distances like this, or even down at two miles, are going to be the making of him.

Portrait Royale (race 4): An off day here, but she has only won in fields of four to six, so it was perhaps not a race that would show her at her best.

Extra Bold (race 6): Should be back in business when the going is drier, and he does not mind a gap between races either, so could pop up at any time. Watch the skies. And then the entries.

Sordid Secret (race 6): Won a three miler on fast ground at Uttoxeter but has generally been finding things go badly wrong for her under rules. She was running like a big threat until making a mess of the sixteenth and dropping to last. She let others wilt and eventually inherited third, and perhaps this is a stepping stone to another good day.

Down arrows

Claimant (race 1): Was not too far behind Omaruru last time (unseated on his earlier hurdle try) and whilst being qualified for handicaps will open more realistic options, the worries are a) the line through Omaruru will lead to an excessive mark, b) his stamina will only function over the bare minimum on fastish ground and c) he is not the slickest jumper.

Bertenbar (race 2): Washed up in a scrappy race, and caution should be exercised when assessing whether he is going to follow up.

Jack's Lad (race 2): Ended a five year plus run of futility when he finally won a chase, but is showing no sign of being able to repeat the trick, and will find few easier openings.

Royal Mile (race 3): Did nothing wrong on his bumper debut, but his next one and his hurdles debut were far worse, even allowing for better oppo. Down to a more realistic grade, he showed up prominently for a while but weakened too tamely and quickly for comfort.

Heezagrey (race 4): Winless in a bumper and eighteen hurdles, he had broken his duck in chases, and has actually got some vaguely encouraging numbers by his name, at least for each-way investors. However, the critical fact is that when Feeling Peckish gained his only win in 86 starts, Heezagrey was the runner-up. He is not the steady, reliable punter's chum he appears.

Killusty Fancy (race 5): Ran well on his hurdles debut, and then was upped in class twice, enduring heavy defeats. This was his first handicap and his mark of 105 seemed a bit harsh - more than offset by an eleven pound weight for age allowance. He was beaten by halfway, which was really quite deflating.

Lepido (race 6): Ran in his second chase and was again poor, eased to a walk on the run-in. He was not prolific enough as a hurdler to say that going back to them is an answer.

Folie A Deux (race 6): The signs are that backing him is a folly, and the form/mood (or health?) that won him three in 2010 seems to have completely disappeared.

UK-Jumping Selections

Erdeli (race 5): Has been looking like a fast ground type, so a tame eighth on soft is probably nothing to lose sleep over.

Alldunandusted (race 6): Lost his last two chases on galloping tracks by 60 lengths plus. He was worth another chance back on sharp, but did not really do any better, with only soft ground as a possible excuse.