Fakenham Racecourse hosts its final meeting of the season

On an afternoon bathed in sunshine, thousands flocked to Fakenham races in their finery for its traditional Ladies Day meeting on Sunday.

Jockey Ciaran Gethings confirmed his liking for the track by following up his win on Hepijeu to take the Norfolk National last month with victory on the same mount in the Jarrold Ladies Day Chase over three miles.

Biding his time up with the leaders he timed his run perfectly to pull ahead of long-time leader Fifty Shades when it mattered.

Gethings’ eight wins at Fakenham earned him the David Turner Trophy as the season’s leading rider.

Champion jockey Richard Johnson showed his class in the opening Stibbard Hurdle over the same distance with a tidy win on West To Crossgates over the odds-on favourite Sirobbie.

Johnson stalked his rival all the way before taking control from two out and easing home by a length.

Just four runners contested the Longwater Construction Supplies Chase over two miles but the competition was fierce.

The Neil King-trained Regulation put in a superb round of jumping under Bryony Frost to follow up his win at Stratford a fortnight earlier by leading from start to finish, downing favourite Templepark by six lengths.

Sam Twiston-Davies had suffered a fall in the second race of the day but made up for it with a storming ride on YCCS Portocervo to take the two-mile Wordingham Plant Hire Ltd Hurdle.

The 9/1 shot dashed straight into the lead from the off and stayed there throughout, seeing off more fancied rivals Gateway To Europe and Emerald Rocket in something of an upset.

There was drama in the Aylsham Show Lady Riders Hurdle over two miles and four furlongs when Gina Andrews’ horse Angel Of The North slipped on the final bend and threw her sideways.

Rival Bantiss Jack ridden by Alice Stevens was presented with a good lead but with the final hurdle dolled off was unable to dominate the long run-in.

Favourite Cottonvale, who had lagged behind, took full advantage to scoot home by two lengths.

The final race of the day,the Queen’s Dragoon Guards Chase over three miles, was landed by Max Do Brazil, ridden by Tom Scudamore for trainer David Pipe.

In a closely-run affair with Pray For A Rainbow stretching ahead of the four-runner field, Scudamore made his move from two out and held on well by four lengths from Hartside under Kane Yeoman.

Racing at Fakenham now takes a break and will resume on Friday, October 18.