A Monday at Fontwell — There Are Worse Ways to Spend an Afternoon

My old dad used to say that Monday racing was the sport's best-kept secret. No crowds jostling you at the Tote, a decent view of the parade ring, and — if you'd done your homework on Sunday evening — a fighting chance of going home with something in your pocket. He wasn't always right about racing, bless him, but he was right about that. So here we are, a soft September Monday at Fontwell Park, and I for one am rather looking forward to it.

The going is Soft today, which after a damp end to September will come as no great surprise. Fontwell's flat track can ride quite testing when the ground gets soft — it tends to draw the stamina out of horses, rewards those who travel well through the mud, and makes course-and-distance form more valuable than ever. Keep that in mind as we work through the card, because the [C,D] markers are going to be doing a lot of heavy lifting today. You can check out the full Fontwell Park racecard for all the details, but let me give you my take on what matters most.

The Feature Race: The John Mackenzie and Hamish MacGregor Memorial Handicap (15:29)

With a prize fund of £25,000 and thirteen runners going to post over a mile and sixty-eight yards, the John Mackenzie and Hamish MacGregor Memorial Handicap is the race of the day. It's a Class 3 contest, the highest grade on the card, and the field is packed with horses rated in the mid-to-high eighties — which means every single one of them has a genuine chance if conditions suit.

The one I keep coming back to is Impartiality (4yo, rated 87, Phillip Makin / Shane Gray). The [C,D] flag tells you everything — this horse has already won at Fontwell over course and distance, and on soft ground that experience is priceless. Phillip Makin's yard has been in decent nick, and Shane Gray is a jockey who rides Fontwell well. In a race this competitive, knowing the track can be the difference.

Strength of Spirit (3yo, rated 88, K. R. Burke / Jack Nicholls) is the top-rated three-year-old in the field and also carries the [C,D] badge. Burke's juveniles and lightly-raced three-year-olds have a habit of improving through the autumn, and if this one handles the soft ground — which the course form suggests it does — then Nicholls could be in for a big afternoon. The 3lb allowance for a three-year-old in this company is worth having, too.

Don't overlook Rhoscolyn (8yo, rated 84, David O'Meara / Daniel Tudhope). Eight years old, you say? Hear me out. Tudhope is one of the classiest riders in the north, O'Meara targets his horses meticulously, and Rhoscolyn has course form [D] that speaks for itself. Veterans who come back to a track they love on ground they handle are dangerous animals in handicaps. At a likely generous price, he's well worth a place on your each-way slip.

The Barbara Ann Letham Handicap (16:04) — Five Furlongs of Fun

The second £25,000 contest of the day is the five-furlong sprint, and it's a cracker. Gaeli (5yo, rated 92, Philip Kirby / Kevin Stott) heads the market on ratings and carries the [D] flag, meaning she's already won at Fontwell. Stott is a man who knows how to ride a front-running sprinter, and on soft ground at five furlongs, getting out of the gates quickly and dictating from the front is a legitimate tactic. She's the class act in the field.

That said, Jordan Electrics (10yo, rated 84, Jim Goldie / Paul Mulrennan) deserves enormous respect. Ten years old and still turning up for a Class 3 sprint — you have to admire that. The [C,D] flag shows he's won here before, and horses who love a particular track often defy age and ratings alike. Mulrennan is a jockey I'd back to get the best out of a veteran who knows his job. If Gaeli has an off day, Jordan Electrics could be the one picking up the pieces.

The Amateur Jockeys' Handicap (13:44) — A Lovely Way to Start

We kick off at 13:44 with the amateur riders' race over six furlongs, and it's a warm little contest. I always enjoy these — there's something properly old-fashioned about amateur jockeys, and some of them are genuinely talented riders who'd hold their own in professional company.

Annie Edson Taylor (5yo, rated 67, Miss Pippa Brown, Phillip Makin) is my pick. She carries the [C,D] flag — course and distance winner — and Miss Pippa Brown looks a capable partner. On soft ground at a track she's already conquered, Annie Edson Taylor is a perfectly reasonable favourite.

Thistle Nil (4yo, rated 68, Mr Eireann Cagney, Jim Goldie) is the highest-rated runner on paper and also has course and distance form [C,D]. Goldie's horses tend to arrive fit and ready, and if Cagney can produce a polished round of jumping — sorry, riding — then this one could go close too.

Keep an eye on Maldevious (4yo, rated 69, Mr Matt Brown, Brian Ellison) and Lumenbourg (5yo, rated 65, Mr Paddy Barlow, Julie Camacho). Ellison's four-year-old is the joint top-rated and has course form [D], while Camacho's yard is always worth respecting. And spare a thought for the veteran Punchbowl Flyer (9yo, rated 64, Miss Brodie Hampson), who at nine years old clearly still enjoys a day out — and the [D] flag suggests Fontwell suits him just fine.

The Staying Race and the Nurseries — Rounding Out the Card

The Annual Members of Hamilton Park Handicap (17:13) closes the card over a mile and four furlongs, and on soft ground that trip will be a thorough examination of stamina. Uncle Liam (4yo, rated 57, Jim Goldie / Lauren Young) has the [C,D] flag and is trained by a man who places his horses well. Young has been riding with confidence lately and this could be a nice way for her to sign off the afternoon.

In the nursery races for two-year-olds, the soft ground adds an extra layer of unpredictability — youngsters can find conditions like this a bit of a lottery. In the Moira Stein Memorial Maiden (14:19), Ponte Carlo (rated 63, Tim Easterby / David Allan) has the benefit of a rating and some racecourse experience, which counts for plenty in a field of largely unexposed juveniles. In the Rotary Club Nursery Selling Handicap (14:54), Or Another (rated 66, Katie Scott / Jason Hart) heads the weights and Hart is always a jockey worth following when he takes a booking for a smaller yard.

Roger's Best Bets Summary

  • Best Bet: Impartiality (15:29) — Course and distance winner, proven on soft, in the feature race.
  • Each-Way Pick: Rhoscolyn (15:29) — Veteran with course form, Tudhope in the saddle, likely an attractive price.
  • Sprinter to Follow: Gaeli (16:04) — Top-rated, course winner, Kevin Stott up. Hard to leave out.
  • Amateur Race Pick: Annie Edson Taylor (13:44) — Course and distance form does the talking on soft ground.
  • Each-Way Outsider: Jordan Electrics (16:04) — A decade old and still here. Course form, Mulrennan riding. Respect the old boy.

There you have it — seven races, soft ground, and plenty to get stuck into. It's the kind of Monday afternoon that reminds you why we love this sport. Have a great day at the races, and as always, bet responsibly and within your means. See you on the other side.