REVIEW WEST NORFOLK FAKENHAM SUNDAY 28 APRIL 2002 by Richard Hall |
Fakenham was the first course I ever went to.
One Bank Holiday Monday, over thirty-five years ago, I cheered Black
Diamond (carrying the brown and white checks of the Wales family?) to
victory in the Selling Hurdle. Miraculously my sixpence stake transformed
into two shillings and ninepence when my Dad presented the receipt at the
Tote window. That new football I wanted was suddenly within my grasp and,
from that moment, a lifelong punter was born. Irrationally,
a part of me was expecting time to have stood still and everything be as
it was in those halcyon, boyhood days. I was pleasantly surprised to find
that, aside from a lick of paint and an additional grandstand, it had. Yet
this now seemed like Ascot compared to the other pointing fields in East
Anglia. Clean toilets that you didn’t have to queue for, a grandstand
that offered a complete view of the course, all amenities within easy
walking distance, and, above all, an enthusiastic crowd that still cheered
and clapped as if it too was part of the event. Mrs H said it took away
some of point to point’s basic charm, not being one man and his dog at
the last to watch the birch fly. However, after being nearly sliced in
half by hailstones at a shelterless Marks Tey, after walking miles from
the car to the parade ring to the bookies and then to the course at both
Higham and Horseheath, and, after spending a whole season queuing for what
seemed like hours wherever they have those dammed portaloos, I was ready
for this! The
racing lived up to the surrounds and it was difficult to select a
highlight – there was so much to choose from. On the grounds of pure
emotion however, I must opt for the 5,6 & 7 y.o Maiden. Sydney
Hobart (owned by the North Norfolk Group) and Paddys
Dream set a strong pace. Three from home they had shaken off the
eleven other challengers and were fifteen lengths clear of Parsonhumfreywebber
in third. Two out Paddy’s Dream seemed to have Sydney Hobart’s measure
and had established a length lead. Parsonhumfreywebber was only eight
lengths adrift in third. By the time they reached the last, less than a
quarter of a mile later, Emma Bell on Parsonhumfreywebber had found the
gears of a Ferrari underneath her and had overtaken them both to fly into
a ten-length lead. The hitherto luckless combination (who many thought had
had their previous race stolen from them at Cottenham when adjudged to
have been overtaken by Give Him A Chance on the line) only had to jump it
to win. As the crowd held their breath they stumbled over it. On the run
in their victory was greeted with spontaneous applause. Justice had been
done. The
Men’s Open ran a close second in the excitement stakes. As expected, the
5/4 favourite, Dry Highline
(who yours truly had managed to back at 5/2!!), went off as if he had a
train to catch – and this time he was jumping well. As they went out on
the third and final circuit he had a twenty length lead over Andrew Ayers
on the hard ridden Novatara
(whom Mrs H had backed at 5/1) with Tom
De Savoie (at 9/4) a distance back in third. Three out and Andrew
Ayers’ urgings were beginning to have some affect; the gap had reduced
to fifteen lengths. As Dry Highline approached the second last it was
obvious to all that he was beginning to tire. The gap was now only five
lengths. As they began to climb the final hill that would swing them into
the home straight Novatara, cheered on by most of the crowd who had backed
him down to 3/1, drew level. At the last he had not only passed his rival
but had opened up a three length advantage. This seemed to inspire Dry
Highline and, under gentle handling from Andrew Braithwaite, he found
more. It was not enough. The run in was too short, and the post came too
quick. A triumph for grit and determination. Andrew
Ayers had earlier steered Native Status to a commanding victory in the eighteen runner
Confined. The tactics were very similar to those he employed when beating
Village Copper at Higham earlier in the season, taking up the running
three quarters of a mile from home and quickly putting distance between
himself and the field. Lovelock,
ridden this time by trainer Neil King, looked to be going well until
pulling up lame. Bruan, chasing a treble, found little when asked to take up a closer
position four from home and may have found the tight course not to his
liking. Wise Advice, under an
inspired ride from David Kemp, ran his best race for a long while to
finish a clear second and confirm his appreciation of the good ground. Cormeen
Lord who struggled to go with the early pace, sprouted wings to catch Sorcerer’s
Drum (who had threatened to take a hand in the finish until a bad
mistake two out) for third on the run in. The
Ladies Open saw the eagerly awaited meeting of two prolific, if sometimes
facile, winners this season Upham Lord and Imperial Dawn.
Amy Stennett, riding Caroline Bailey’s grey, set off at a blistering
pace to deny Fiona Needham’s mount the opportunity to take up his
familiar front running role. It was a tactic that could not be sustained
however and, after two miles, Imperial Dawn had run out of steam. This
left Zoe Turner on Celtic Duke
(himself a winner of three Ladies Open’s this year) to provide the main
opposition, but he was made to look one paced when Upham Lord kicked again
between the last two for a convincing victory. The
Restricted saw a sustained gamble on Paul Keane’s Barton
Saint (7/2 to 6/4). David Crosse looked to have ridden a well judged
race, having held his mount up early as the field went a blistering pace,
and was weaving into a challenging position before clouting the second
last. Even then, though, it was debatable if he would have caught the
Nigel Bloom ridden Silver Spider,
hitherto a disappointment since his early season Maiden victory at Thorpe,
who was full of running and five lengths superior at the time. Nowornever,
another of the Kemp string to show improved form, was responsible for the
strong early pace and ran on well again (after being passed by several six
fences out) to chase Silver Spider home. The
Paul Keane stable made the long journey from Wiltshire worthwhile with
their only other runner; Whatacharlie,
in the day’s final race, the 8 yo+ Maiden. He defied the programme’s
formline comment (Front running
maiden, not without ability but rarely finishes, has run tubed) to
sprint clear from his nine rivals to ensure the bookies, at least, went
home richer for the day’s proceedings. Tell
Monty was sent off the even money favourite and confirmed that he has
lost what enthusiasm he did posses for the game by planting himself a long
way from the pack at the rear of the field before eventually pulling up. Skirmishing
ran well for a long way before going lame and Filou du Bois clearly resented being asked to lead on the final
circuit, although did run on under strong driving to finish second. The
three runner Hunt Members was won by Chris Garmen on Rafter,
who clearly appreciated the drop in class and cantered home a distance
clear of the maiden Play Alone
in second. With only the rescheduled Essex Farmers at Mark’s Tey (which I am unable to attend) and the meeting at Northaw (which is simply too far to travel) left on the East Anglian circuit this year, this was (probably!) my last point to point for the season. Mrs H, I know is looking forward to the break. Quietly then I will whisper the sentiment - Roll on January 2003! |