Fontwell returns after summer break with Sean Bowen out to extend lead in title race

Sean Bowen: two rides at Fontwell

Fontwell, which resumes its programme on Friday following a summer break, is one of many jumps tracks to return to action in the coming weeks.

The West Sussex course has attracted 66 entries for its seven-race card, including Earth Cry, who landed the last Fontwell race on June 12 before the break.

Neil Mulholland’s six-year-old will bid for a third win from his last four starts in the 2m5½f handicap hurdle.

Clerk of the course Philip Hide said: “It’s been a busy summer at Fontwell since our last meeting. We’ve done plenty of work to the track, maintenance-wise.

“Owing to the very wet winter we’ve scarified the track just that bit harder than usual. All of the fences have been re-birched.

“The general consensus is that the track is in really good nick for Friday’s meeting.”

Hide is pleased with the number of entries. Late-summer jump meetings can often attract a series of small fields but, in common with other tracks that have raced recently, entries have been higher than what may have been expected.

“The entries are pleasing for this time of year,” Hide said. “The decs have held up well, which probably has something to do with the fact that there was no jumps racing scheduled for nearly three weeks recently. The summer jumpers are looking for opportunities before the ground changes.”

Sean Bowen, who leads the jump jockeys’ title race on 44 winners – six ahead of Harry Skelton – has two booked rides, Buck Of Maine and Bushmill Boy.

Gavin Sheehan, whose last three mounts at Worcester on Wednesday all won, will also be in action aboard Kalkaroo and Ask Her Out.

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