Big crowd in store as Warwick Racecourse's Fiver Friday returns
TOMORROW, (Friday), sees Warwick’s once-a-season opportunity to go racing for just £5 as the course looks to attract a family audience to its annual Fiver Friday promotion, writes David Hucker.
Held during school half-term, the day, run in conjunction with The Racehorse Syndicates Association, has a host of entertainment for children in the Paddock Pavilion, all supported by a number of charities, comprising Morrisons Community, Molly Ollys, Safeline, Search and Rescue and LWS. It will include face painting, crafts, play with an array of giant games and a treasure hunt.
With under-18s accompanied by an adult admitted free, this is a good value day out for the family and always attracts a big crowd, something that Warwick, under new manager Thomas Williams, is doing rather well with at the moment with over 5,000 people at the last meeting.
The feature race of the day is the third, the £40,000 Feldon Dunsmore Budbrooke Chase over two-and-a-half miles, won last year by Espoir De Guye, who had finished second in 2021. Winning trainer Venetia Williams has entered Enzo D’Airy, beaten 12 lengths when runner-up to the impressive Sholokjack last time, but he would be 12lb better off at the weights.
Sholokjack is one of three entries for Alcester trainer Dan Skelton, the others being Go Steady and Knight In Dubai, the latter having just failed to make all the running at the last meeting.
Champion trainer Paul Nicholls has entered two but, with Flic Ou Voyou winning at Wincanton on Saturday, he may rely on Friend Or Foe, who is gradually slipping down the weights.
The six-race card gets under way at 2pm with the longest contest of the afternoon, the Join A Kim Bailey Racing Syndicate Handicap Hurdle (Conditionals/Amateurs) over three miles and two furlongs, and ends with the British Stallion Studs EBF Mares’ Open National Hunt Flat Race at 4.40pm.
Looking ahead, entries are now being taken for another family favourite, the annual Four Legged Friend Day on Sunday, 12th March, featuring the LPS Pug Gold Cup.