Peter Moore at Fontwell Park 7th October 2023
On a lovely warm Saturday afternoon in October, with the temperatures nudging 22%, a big crowd enjoyed the second day of the Beer and Cider Festival meeting at Fontwell Park.
The feature race of the day, the Vickers.Bet Handicap Hurdle, run over 2 miles and three furlongs, was won by the 98-2 shot Soul Icon with apprentice Harry Kimber on board.
The gelding was winning his eighth race of his career after winning seven handicaps in total before the start of the new national hunt season for trainer Keiran Burke.
“I wasn’t expecting that at all to be honest,” Burke said. “The plan was he was going to run today and then we’ll reassess and go chasing. He’s been schooling really well over fences at home, but that plan is now all up in the air.
“He’s definitely going to come on for the run, which is why the win surprised us. The ground is so vital to him, he wouldn’t go on too soft at all, so we just need it to stay dry for a while now.”
In form jockey Sam Twiston-Davies brought up a quick fire double with the odds on favourite Guy and Cape Vidal.
Nigel Twiston-Davies registered his fourth win from his last six runners when Guy comfortably won the second race on the card.
Half an hour later, Sam Twiston-Davies had the second winner of the day for the jockey, with a length victory over Baltray.
There was an impressive performance by the five year old Le Patron who won at the first time of asking over fences. Jamie Moore was on board for his father Gary Moore, with Jamie getting first past the post to win by twenty lengths.