Fontwell Course Guide
Located in West Sussex, Fontwell Park stages National Hunt racing all year round but the highlight of its calendar is the Grade2 National Spirit Handicap Hurdle in late February. The contest is named after National Spirit, a dual winner of the Champion Hurdle in the 1940s, who won five times at Fontwell Park during his illustrious career.
The race was initially run over two miles and two furlongs as a Champion Hurdle Trial, with dual Champion Hurdle hero Comedy of Errors amongst previous winners. It is now run over two miles and four furlongs as a handicap and the David Pipe-trained Lough Derg won the race in both 2008 and 2009. The National Spirit is seen as a World Hurdle Trial and in 2006 My Way De Solzen became the first winner of the National Spirit to go onto win the World Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Star stayer Baracouda also won both races, albeit in different campaigns.
Advance Going
Left handed, sharp; the chase course is a figure of eight circuit, whilst the hurdles track is oval. The stiff finish is testing on heavy ground, races often developing from far out. The fences are easy but, given the nature of the track, course specialists abound. On the chase course, the lead rarely changes hands on the run in but often looks as though it might. The paddock exit is situated halfway up the run-in on the hurdles course and can lead to horses idling/ducking out on seeing it. On soft/heavy going the hurdles course favours those who race wide.
Having a figure-of-eight configuration on the chase track, Fontwell can suit quirky horses. I don’t know if that’s because it disorientates them, or simply keeps them interested, but it does seem to help a few ‘thinkers’. It puts a premium on jumping, too, and, if you’re on a novice that’s slick over the fences, you can get away from the others thanks to wasting little time in the air. If you are behind, though, but still within shouting distance of a faster one, the stiff finish gives you a chance to get back up.
View from the saddle: Mick Fitzgerald
Upcoming races
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17:50 Sky Sports Racing Virgin 519 Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)
(Class 4) (2m 3f 29y) -
18:20 Download The Star Sports App Handicap Chase (For The Certain Justice Challenge Trophy) (Fontwell Chase Series Qualifier
(Class 5) (2m 5f 135y) -
18:50 Star Sports National Spirit Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race)
(Class 1) (2m 3f 29y) -
19:20 At The Races App Expert Tips Handicap Hurdle
(Class 4) (2m 5f 164y) -
19:50 Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Handicap Hurdle
(Class 5) (2m 5f 164y) -
20:20 Free Tips Daily On AtTheRaces.com Novices' Handicap Chase (For The Josh Gifford Cup)
(Class 5) (3m 1f 210y) -
20:50 Starsportsbet.Co.Uk Open Maiden National Hunt Flat Race (Category 3 Elimination) (GBB Race)
(Class 5) (2m 1f 162y)
Replays & Results
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Distance Horse (Going) Date Winning time 2m 1f 165y Black Gerry (Good) 29 May 2022 4m 21.03s 2m 3f 104y Farouk De Cheneau (Good) 18 May 2023 4m 46.13s 2m 5f 135y Big 'n Better (Good to Firm) 30 May 2021 5m 22.95s 3m 1f 210y Max Dynamo (Good to Firm) 30 May 2021 6m 27.8s 3m 3f 149y Unanswered Prayers (Good) 17 Nov 2024 7m 21.06s Distance Horse (Going) Date Winning time 2m 1f 162y Mawlood (Good to Firm) 30 May 2021 4m 9.44s 2m 3f Blue Sans (Good to Firm) 09 Jun 2021 4m 34.37s 2m 5f 164y Dynamic Kate (Good) 18 Aug 2022 5m 13.46s 3m 1f 166y Soarlikeaneagle (Good to Firm) 16 Apr 2021 6m 22.14s Distance Horse (Going) Date Winning time 1m 5f 159y Independence (Good to Firm) 16 Apr 2021 3m 11.37s 2m 1f 162y Teddington Lock (Good) 07 Sep 2025 4m 11.4s -
Trainer Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L G & J Moore 57 13 £53K 22.81% £10.70 R Walford 25 8 £31K 32% £20.04 A J Honeyball 25 7 £31K 28% -£9.71 N P Mulholland 33 7 £39K 21.21% -£0.55 J Tizzard 28 6 £26K 21.43% -£12.05 C Gordon 25 5 £26K 20% £2.82 Alexandra Dunn 13 5 £17K 38.46% £28.88 W Greatrex 15 4 £16K 26.67% £7.75 K Jewell 26 4 £14K 15.38% £48.00 B Pauling 13 4 £16K 30.77% -£6.45 Trainer Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L G & J Moore 127 24 £97K 18.9% -£44.71 N P Mulholland 131 20 £82K 15.27% -£48.59 A J Honeyball 54 16 £67K 29.63% -£4.21 C Gordon 76 12 £46K 15.79% -£36.72 Jamie Snowden 26 10 £43K 38.46% £10.29 Jonjo & A J O'Neill 30 9 £34K 30% -£2.36 James Owen 25 9 £34K 36% -£4.56 O Murphy 23 7 £73K 30.43% -£4.48 H Fry 17 6 £27K 35.29% £2.35 Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies 10 6 £29K 60% £10.69 Trainer Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L G & J Moore 10 4 £10K 40% -£0.83 Mrs L Richards 2 2 £5K 100% £17.00 C Gordon 6 1 £3K 16.67% -£2.67 F O'Brien 6 1 £3K 16.67% -£1.50 A J Honeyball 6 1 £2K 16.67% -£6.25 Jamie Snowden 5 1 £2K 20% -£0.67 N J Gifford 6 1 £3K 16.67% -£2.25 B Pauling 3 1 £3K 33.33% £7.00 D Pipe 2 1 £2K 50% -£0.50 Harry Derham 2 1 £3K 50% £0.75 -
Jockey Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L Caoilin Quinn 36 8 £30K 22.22% £0.10 Harry Kimber 33 7 £31K 21.21% £7.21 Sam Twiston-Davies 18 7 £35K 38.89% £4.37 Rex Dingle 29 6 £39K 20.69% £4.67 Harry Bannister 26 5 £22K 19.23% -£6.17 Brendan Powell 35 4 £13K 11.43% -£9.55 M Goldstein 15 4 £14K 26.67% £55.00 Freddie Gingell 6 4 £16K 66.67% £7.00 James Davies 23 3 £10K 13.04% £0.75 G Sheehan 17 3 £10K 17.65% -£9.50 Jockey Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L Sam Twiston-Davies 58 15 £73K 25.86% -£15.14 G Sheehan 51 13 £54K 25.49% -£3.73 Caoilin Quinn 78 11 £45K 14.1% -£48.45 Brendan Powell 65 9 £34K 13.85% £84.70 S Bowen 33 9 £35K 27.27% -£8.45 Freddie Gordon 39 8 £31K 20.51% -£17.84 Harry Kimber 51 8 £36K 15.69% £22.00 J E Moore 24 8 £32K 33.33% -£4.55 R P McLernon 35 7 £28K 20% -£9.15 Jonjo O'Neill Jr. 17 7 £27K 41.18% £2.29 Jockey Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L Tom Cannon 6 3 £8K 50% £5.83 Paul O'Brien 2 2 £5K 100% £13.75 Sam Twiston-Davies 7 1 £2K 14.29% -£4.25 G Sheehan 7 1 £2K 14.29% -£2.67 James Davies 6 1 £3K 16.67% -£2.25 H Cobden 5 1 £2K 20% -£1.50 N F Houlihan 4 1 £3K 25% -£2.17 Freddie Mitchell 3 1 £2K 33.33% £3.00 C Brace 3 1 £3K 33.33% £1.50 Jack Tudor 2 1 £2K 50% -£0.50
Future Fixtures
Address & Contact
Fontwell Park Racecourse
Arundel
West Sussex
BN18 0SX
01243 543335
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