Favourites the order of the day at Fakenham

Residents’ Race Day at Fakenham was dominated by favourites who won five of the six races on the card.With small fields, this might have been anticipated.The opener, the Weatherbys Hamilton Hurdle over two miles, went to Bluegrass from the Stuart Edmunds stable, ably ridden by Fergus Gillard.When River Gold under Sam Twiston-Davies pulled up in the five-strong field and favourite Sanitiser had an off day, Blue Grass took control, stretching into a good lead up the home straight to hold on to his advantage from the fast-finishing For Pleasure by a length.A steadily run two miles and seven furlongs Fakenham Supports British Farming Hurdle over three miles was landed by odds-on favourite Laser Focus under claimer Ben Bromley for James Owen.Always well placed the six-year-old shook off his four rivals to scoot home by 11 lengths.The result was much closer in the £50,000 Queen Boudicca Chase over two miles and four furlongs with two horses in contention at the last. Micronormous jumped the best and pushed ahead to beat Caitlin’s Court by four lengths. The result was hardly in doubt in the fourth race, the EBF Fillies Junior National Hunt Hurdle over two miles, once Madame Luna under Paul O’Brien took the lead from long-time front-runner Harthope to open up convincingly and sail in by 10 lengths.The Anglia Car Auctions Maiden Hurdle over two miles went to the much-fancied Secret Des Dieux ridden by Sean Bowen for Newmarket trainer James Owen – a double success on the day for him.The pairing got the better of Gordon Grey by seven lengths. The final race of the afternoon, the Weatherbys and Birdie Calendars Chase over three miles was keenly fought by the seven-runner field.Odds-on favourite Lunar Contact, ridden by Callum Pritchard, led the way up the home straight to get home by a convincing 12 lengths ahead of second-placed Samourai One.The next meeting at Fakenham is scheduled for Sunday, December 22.