Forecast: Light showers
Temp: 5.1° - 10.7°
Rainfall: 1.62mm
Wind: 14.3 mph S
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.
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
Address & Contact
Fontwell Park Racecourse
Arundel
West Sussex
BN18 0SX
01243 543335
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Advance Going
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Current Weather today at: Fontwell
Today
Tomorrow
Forecast: Sunny spells
Temp: 3.9° - 9.8°
Rainfall: 0.10mm
Wind: 3.6 mph SE
Last Update: 27/01/2026 12:00
Upcoming races
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17:50 Sky Sports Racing Virgin 519 Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)
(Class 4) (2m 3f 29y) -
18:20 Download The Star Sports App Handicap Chase (For The Certain Justice Challenge Trophy) (Fontwell Chase Series Qualifier
(Class 5) (2m 5f 135y) -
18:50 Star Sports National Spirit Hurdle (Grade 2) (GBB Race)
(Class 1) (2m 3f 29y) -
19:20 At The Races App Expert Tips Handicap Hurdle
(Class 4) (2m 5f 164y) -
19:50 Sky Sports Racing Sky 415 Handicap Hurdle
(Class 5) (2m 5f 164y) -
20:20 Free Tips Daily On AtTheRaces.com Novices' Handicap Chase (For The Josh Gifford Cup)
(Class 5) (3m 1f 210y) -
20:50 Starsportsbet.Co.Uk Open Maiden National Hunt Flat Race (Category 3 Elimination) (GBB Race)
(Class 5) (2m 1f 162y)
Replays & Results
Meeting Abandoned
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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 Big 'n Better (Good to Firm) 30 May 2021 5m 22.95s 3m 1f 210y Max Dynamo (Good to Firm) 30 May 2021 6m 27.8s 3m 3f 149y Unanswered Prayers (Good) 17 Nov 2024 7m 21.06s Distance Horse (Going) Date Winning time 2m 1f 162y Mawlood (Good to Firm) 30 May 2021 4m 9.44s 2m 3f Blue Sans (Good to Firm) 09 Jun 2021 4m 34.37s 2m 5f 164y Dynamic Kate (Good) 18 Aug 2022 5m 13.46s 3m 1f 166y Soarlikeaneagle (Good to Firm) 16 Apr 2021 6m 22.14s Distance Horse (Going) Date Winning time 1m 5f 159y Independence (Good to Firm) 16 Apr 2021 3m 11.37s 2m 1f 162y Teddington Lock (Good) 07 Sep 2025 4m 11.4s -
Trainer Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L G & J Moore 61 13 £53,472 21.31% £6.70 R Walford 27 9 £37,918 33.33% £19.95 A J Honeyball 26 8 £39,634 30.77% -£4.21 N P Mulholland 33 7 £39,251 21.21% -£0.55 J Tizzard 29 6 £25,666 20.69% -£13.05 C Gordon 26 6 £35,673 23.08% £5.07 B Pauling 15 5 £22,893 33.33% -£6.20 Alexandra Dunn 13 5 £16,556 38.46% £28.88 W Greatrex 16 4 £15,896 25% £6.75 K Jewell 26 4 £14,444 15.38% £48.00 Trainer Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L G & J Moore 131 24 £97,037 18.32% -£48.71 N P Mulholland 133 20 £81,733 15.04% -£50.59 A J Honeyball 58 17 £72,357 29.31% -£6.21 C Gordon 81 14 £55,159 17.28% -£11.72 Jamie Snowden 26 10 £43,093 38.46% £10.29 Jonjo & A J O'Neill 30 9 £34,479 30% -£2.36 James Owen 25 9 £33,978 36% -£4.56 O Murphy 25 7 £73,169 28% -£6.48 H Fry 18 7 £31,125 38.89% £8.35 Nigel & Willy Twiston-Davies 11 6 £28,703 54.55% £9.69 Trainer Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L G & J Moore 11 4 £9,892 36.36% -£1.83 Mrs L Richards 2 2 £5,065 100% £17.00 C Gordon 6 1 £2,614 16.67% -£2.67 A J Honeyball 7 1 £2,451 14.29% -£7.25 F O'Brien 6 1 £2,614 16.67% -£1.50 Jamie Snowden 5 1 £2,451 20% -£0.67 N J Gifford 7 1 £2,614 14.29% -£3.25 B Pauling 3 1 £2,535 33.33% £7.00 T Lawes 2 1 £2,614 50% £2.00 D Pipe 2 1 £2,451 50% -£0.50 -
Jockey Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L Caoilin Quinn 39 8 £29,971 20.51% -£2.90 Harry Kimber 34 7 £30,974 20.59% £6.21 Rex Dingle 30 7 £48,749 23.33% £6.92 Sam Twiston-Davies 19 7 £35,383 36.84% £3.37 Harry Bannister 26 5 £22,392 19.23% -£6.17 Freddie Gingell 7 5 £22,550 71.43% £7.91 Brendan Powell 38 4 £13,150 10.53% -£12.55 Adam Wedge 11 4 £15,553 36.36% £34.88 Ben Jones 10 4 £17,850 40% £4.43 M Goldstein 15 4 £14,444 26.67% £55.00 Jockey Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L Sam Twiston-Davies 58 15 £72,855 25.86% -£15.14 G Sheehan 51 13 £53,782 25.49% -£3.73 Caoilin Quinn 80 11 £44,893 13.75% -£50.45 Brendan Powell 69 9 £33,840 13.04% £80.70 Freddie Gordon 41 9 £35,620 21.95% -£15.84 S Bowen 33 9 £34,950 27.27% -£8.45 Harry Kimber 53 8 £35,938 15.09% £20.00 J E Moore 26 8 £32,314 30.77% -£6.55 R P McLernon 35 7 £27,751 20% -£9.15 Jonjo O'Neill Jr. 17 7 £27,456 41.18% £2.29 Jockey Runners Wins Prize Money Strike-Rate P/L Tom Cannon 7 4 £10,218 57.14% £8.83 Paul O'Brien 2 2 £5,065 100% £13.75 Sam Twiston-Davies 7 1 £2,451 14.29% -£4.25 G Sheehan 7 1 £2,451 14.29% -£2.67 James Davies 7 1 £2,614 14.29% -£3.25 H Cobden 6 1 £2,451 16.67% -£2.50 N F Houlihan 5 1 £2,614 20% -£3.17 Freddie Mitchell 3 1 £2,451 33.33% £3.00 C Brace 3 1 £2,614 33.33% £1.50 Jack Tudor 2 1 £2,451 50% -£0.50
