Forecast: Thunderstorm
Temp: 8.2° - 15.8°
Rainfall: 1.12mm
Wind: 14.7 mph W
Fontwell Course Guide
Located in West Sussex, Fontwell Park stages National Hunt racing all year round but the highlight of its calendar is the Grade2 National Spirit Handicap Hurdle in late February. The contest is named after National Spirit, a dual winner of the Champion Hurdle in the 1940s, who won five times at Fontwell Park during his illustrious career.
The race was initially run over two miles and two furlongs as a Champion Hurdle Trial, with dual Champion Hurdle hero Comedy of Errors amongst previous winners. It is now run over two miles and four furlongs as a handicap and the David Pipe-trained Lough Derg won the race in both 2008 and 2009. The National Spirit is seen as a World Hurdle Trial and in 2006 My Way De Solzen became the first winner of the National Spirit to go onto win the World Hurdle at Cheltenham.
Star stayer Baracouda also won both races, albeit in different campaigns.
Advance Going
Good-good to soft in places
Current Weather today at: Fontwell
Today
Tomorrow
Forecast: Thunderstorm
Temp: 8.5° - 16.0°
Rainfall: 2.37mm
Wind: 13.0 mph W
Last Update: 09/06/2026 17:00
Left handed, sharp; the chase course is a figure of eight circuit, whilst the hurdles track is oval. The stiff finish is testing on heavy ground, races often developing from far out. The fences are easy but, given the nature of the track, course specialists abound. On the chase course, the lead rarely changes hands on the run in but often looks as though it might. The paddock exit is situated halfway up the run-in on the hurdles course and can lead to horses idling/ducking out on seeing it. On soft/heavy going the hurdles course favours those who race wide.
Having a figure-of-eight configuration on the chase track, Fontwell can suit quirky horses. I don’t know if that’s because it disorientates them, or simply keeps them interested, but it does seem to help a few ‘thinkers’. It puts a premium on jumping, too, and, if you’re on a novice that’s slick over the fences, you can get away from the others thanks to wasting little time in the air. If you are behind, though, but still within shouting distance of a faster one, the stiff finish gives you a chance to get back up.
View from the saddle: Mick Fitzgerald
Upcoming races
-
14:30 Weatherbys nhstallions.co.uk Mares' Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)
(Class 4) (2m 3f 29y) -
15:00 Sun Racing The Home Of Racing Handicap Chase
(Class 5) (2m 3f 104y) -
15:30 Celebrating The Life Of Trevor Schooley Handicap Hurdle
(Class 4) (2m 1f 162y) -
16:00 Weatherbys Racing Bank Handicap Chase (GBB Race)
(Class 4) (3m 1f 210y) -
16:30 Jewson Handicap Hurdle
(Class 5) (2m 3f 29y) -
17:00 Cathedral Wealth Ahead Of The Field Handicap Hurdle
(Class 5) (3m 1f 166y)
Replays & Results
14:00 KSR Lighting Novices' Hurdle
GBB Race
2m 3f | Class 4 | 4YO plus | 8 ran
- Winner: Handmedownastar 5/6 Fav
- Jockey: H Cobden Trainer: J W Mullins
- Owner: Mr Simon Smode
14:35 V2 Radio Handicap Hurdle
2m 1½f | Class 5 | 4YO plus | 7 ran
- Winner: Shalfa 13/2
- Jockey: M Goldstein Trainer: Mrs L Richards
- Owner: The Shalfa Partnership
15:10 Sun Racing Summer Jumps Championship Handicap Chase
3m 2f | Class 5 | 5YO plus | 5 ran
- Winner: Prince Cleni 11/4 2Fav
- Jockey: G Sheehan Trainer: Christian Williams
- Owner: Daffodil Racing Cleni
15:45 Mercedes-Benz Of Chichester Mares' Handicap Hurdle
2m 5½f | Class 4 | 4YO plus | 4 ran
- Winner: Smugglers Haven 5/2
- Jockey: Miss L Bradstock Trainer: Mrs Sara V Bradstock
- Owner: The Belle Syndicate
16:20 Southcoast Homecare Excellence In Care Handicap Hurdle
3m 2f | Class 5 | 4YO plus | 6 ran
- Winner: Cinderello 11/4 2Fav
- Jockey: Jack Hogan Trainer: A M Hales
- Owner: Miss Susannah M L Parden
16:55 A.W. Jeffreys
Southampton | Ltd Handicap Chase
2m 3½f | Class 5 | 5YO plus | 6 ran
- Winner: Footloose Man 6/1
- Jockey: Charlie Price Trainer: R Hobson
- Owner: Mr Richard Hobson
17:30 Land & Power Mares' Open Maiden NH Flat Race
GBB Race
2m 1½f | Class 5 | 4YO to 5YO | 6 ran
- Winner: Kentford Legacy 22/1
- Jockey: Daniel Sansom Trainer: J W Mullins
- Owner: Kfs Syndicate
-
Distance Horse (Going) Date Winning time 2m 1f 165y Black Gerry (Good) 29 May 2022 4m 21.03s 2m 3f 104y Farouk De Cheneau (Good) 18 May 2023 4m 46.13s 2m 5f 135y Legends Ryde (Good) 08 Apr 2022 5m 26s 3m 1f 210y Toad Of Toad Hall (Good to Firm) 28 May 2023 6m 35.4s 3m 3f 149y Unanswered Prayers (Good) 17 Nov 2024 7m 21.06s Distance Horse (Going) Date Winning time 2m 1f 162y Thahab Ifraj (Good) 18 Aug 2022 4m 12.29s 2m 3f 49y Dom Of Mary (Good) 29 Mar 2022 4m 37.5s 2m 5f 164y Dynamic Kate (Good) 18 Aug 2022 5m 13.46s 3m 1f 166y Astroman (Good to Firm) 28 May 2023 6m 24.5s Distance Horse (Going) Date Winning time 1m 5f 159y Rambo T (Good) 29 Mar 2022 3m 12.2s 2m 1f 162y Teddington Lock (Good) 07 Sep 2025 4m 11.4s -
Trainer Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L G & J Moore 56 14 £59K 25% £17.45 R Walford 28 7 £28K 25% £15.21 N P Mulholland 34 6 £33K 17.65% -£4.80 A J Honeyball 23 6 £24K 26.09% -£4.13 J Tizzard 27 5 £18K 18.52% -£13.55 C Gordon 26 5 £43K 19.23% £10.07 Alexandra Dunn 12 5 £16K 41.67% £28.88 W Greatrex 14 4 £16K 28.57% £8.75 Karen Jewell 23 4 £14K 17.39% £52.00 R Hobson 11 4 £14K 36.36% £12.50 Trainer Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L G & J Moore 130 21 £85K 16.15% -£59.62 N P Mulholland 131 21 £86K 16.03% -£39.59 C Gordon 84 12 £46K 14.29% -£45.22 A J Honeyball 47 11 £48K 23.4% -£14.70 Jamie Snowden 25 10 £43K 40% £12.29 James Owen 26 9 £34K 34.62% -£5.56 Jonjo & A J O'Neill 31 8 £30K 25.81% -£3.46 J Tizzard 31 7 £25K 22.58% £116.45 H Fry 20 7 £30K 35% £4.42 Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies 10 7 £74K 70% £12.19 Trainer Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L G & J Moore 11 3 £7K 27.27% -£3.67 Jamie Snowden 8 2 £5K 25% -£0.42 B Pauling 4 2 £5K 50% £8.38 R Hobson 3 2 £5K 66.67% £11.50 Mrs L Richards 2 2 £5K 100% £17.00 A J Honeyball 7 1 £2K 14.29% -£5.25 N J Gifford 4 1 £3K 25% -£0.25 D Pipe 3 1 £2K 33.33% -£1.50 W Greatrex 3 1 £2K 33.33% £0.50 Harry Derham 2 1 £3K 50% £0.75 -
Jockey Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L Harry Kimber 33 6 £23K 18.18% £4.71 Caoilin Quinn 37 6 £22K 16.22% -£8.65 Rex Dingle 28 5 £35K 17.86% £4.00 G Sheehan 21 5 £17K 23.81% -£2.75 Freddie Gingell 10 5 £21K 50% £5.75 Brendan Powell 34 4 £13K 11.76% -£6.55 Harry Bannister 27 4 £16K 14.81% -£8.92 Tom Cannon 19 4 £35K 21.05% £4.38 Sam Twiston-Davies 14 4 £22K 28.57% -£0.22 M Goldstein 19 4 £14K 21.05% £51.00 Jockey Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L Sam Twiston-Davies 54 16 £118K 29.63% -£8.64 G Sheehan 50 13 £54K 26% -£2.73 S Bowen 36 12 £50K 33.33% -£0.34 Caoilin Quinn 80 11 £45K 13.75% -£52.53 Harry Kimber 51 9 £40K 17.65% £25.00 Brendan Powell 59 8 £30K 13.56% £85.20 Freddie Gordon 39 8 £31K 20.51% -£16.84 R P McLernon 43 7 £28K 16.28% -£12.65 Bryan Carver 28 6 £26K 21.43% -£1.45 Jonjo O'Neill Jr. 15 6 £23K 40% £4.19 Jockey Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L Paul O'Brien 4 3 £8K 75% £16.25 G Sheehan 9 2 £5K 22.22% -£1.42 Tom Cannon 7 2 £5K 28.57% £1.50 Sam Twiston-Davies 6 1 £2K 16.67% -£3.25 H Cobden 5 1 £2K 20% -£1.50 James Davies 4 1 £3K 25% -£0.25 Jack Tudor 3 1 £2K 33.33% -£1.50 Freddie Mitchell 3 1 £2K 33.33% £3.00 Ben Jones 4 1 £3K 25% £6.00 M Goldstein 3 1 £2K 33.33% £10.00
Future Fixtures
- Wed 10 June 2026
- Fri 28 August 2026
- Sun 06 September 2026
- Tue 22 September 2026
- Sat 03 October 2026
- Wed 21 October 2026
Address & Contact
Fontwell Park Racecourse
Arundel
West Sussex
BN18 0SX
01243 543335
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