Thousands turn out for Fontwell fun - despite the weather

The weather did its best to put a dampener on one of Fontwell's biggest meetings of the year.
By The Newsroom
Published 31st May 2017, 15:25 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 03:15 BST

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The Wicket Chicken, ridden by Noel Fehily, on the way to victory - as tipped on this websiteThe Wicket Chicken, ridden by Noel Fehily, on the way to victory - as tipped on this website
The Wicket Chicken, ridden by Noel Fehily, on the way to victory - as tipped on this website

The weather did its best to put a dampener on one of Fontwell’s biggest meetings of the year.But it didn’t stop around 6,000 people attending their bank holiday family raceday and enjoying a mix of jump-racing and free entertainment for the kids.Thankfully the rain did clear, rewarding the hardy souls who had turned out, and they saw some close racing.The biggest-priced winner of the day was Spock, who won the RaceBets.com Place For Every Race Handicap Chase at 20/1 for trainer Lady Susan Brooke – that after the favourite, Code of Law, had been dramatically withdrawn minutes before the start because of the condition of the ground.In fact it was not a good day for favourites – with only one, The Wicket Chicken, winning – taking the JEB Construction Ltd National Hunt Maiden Hurdle as 10/11 market leader for Noel Fehily and Neil Mulholland.Sussex trainer Nick Gifford enjoyed the latest in a long line of Fontwell successes for his string when Brown Bear (6/1) was steered to victory in the RaceBets.com No Casino Just Horses Handicap Hurdle by Leighton Aspell.Lillian (100/30) took the Lymington Town Supported By Nationwide Concreting Handicap Hurdle thanks to a fine ride by Kevin Jones while the Charlie Longsdon-trained Kilfilichen Bay won the Salisbury Hardwood Flooring Ltd Fit Havsport Handicap Chase at 9/2.Charlie Deutsch rode the 4/1 shot Londonia first past the post in the H.O.T.S.R. “Lets Beat Tuberous Sclerosis” Handicap Hurdle and Nick Scholfield was on board Day of Rose (5/1) to take the RaceBets.com Racing From 40 Countries Handicap Chase.There are two meetings left before Fontwell’s summer break – evening racing next Tuesday (June 6) and an afternoon card on June 15.

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