By Peter Moore at Fontwell Park Thursday 28th March 2024
With Easter just 24 hours away, The Yeeehaaa Easter Afternoon meeting passed an early morning inspection, but had to deal with the elements of strong winds all afternoon, however despite the small fields, racing went ahead.
The heavily backed Wilful prevailed at long odds on, eventually starting at 4-9, in the opener with Jonjo O’Neill Jnr having a comfortable ride to win pulling away by 20 lengths ahead of the Chris Gordon trained Tea And Chats.
The second race on the card was reduced to just four runners with top weight Dreaming Blue taking the 2m one and a half handicap steeple chase with Freddie Gingell winning on his only ride of the day for the Anthony Honeyball yard.
The inform yard of Ben Pauling produced another winner making it 68 for the season when Getaway Drumlee produced an impressive performance to easily win by 17 lengths in the 2m one and a half furlongs handicap hurdle.
Aworkinprogress lived up to his name by taking the 2m five and a half furlongs handicap hurdle for trainer Nick Gifford.
The five year old appeared to like the longer trip with a faultless round of jumping with James Davies in the saddle to prevail by four lengths.
The penultimate race of the afternoon went to the veteran of the quartet Uallrightharry. The 12-year-old has had four runs so far without troubling the judge. However today he led from start to finish to win well from second place Lightonthewing for Sittingbourne trainer Karen Jewell with Brendan Powell doing the steering.
There was a wonderful finish to the finale on the card a bumper over 2m. It was a tight tussle between favourite Electric Mason and Laurens Bay with the Jamie Snowden trained Laurens Bay getting the better of the two to get his nose in front, having not raced for 417 days.