Fakenham Racecourse

Racecourse number: 52

First visited: 2015

Number of visits: 1

The Tomlinson family spent Easter 2015 at a holiday park near Cromer in Norfolk. As normal with our holidays in this country it was pre-planned with a horse racing angle. This holiday location allowed me to visit the tricky to get to and not very well known racecourse, Fakenham. The course resides halfway between Cromer and Kings Lynn. We attended on the bank holiday Monday fixture. The organisation for entry to the racecourse was somewhat complex, bizarre and frustrating but once we parked up things were very much to our liking.

Whilst Fakenham is a low grade racecourse it has good facilities and is set up for very exciting action. It has a distinctive short, tight national hunt circuit, almost a square which has great viewing. Being so small each race sees the runners pass you at least twice before hurtling towards the winning post on what is a very short run in. Being a bank holiday fixture there was a good crowd and lots going on to entertain it. For my kids there was a large slide and climbing wall (for an extra charge) and lots of Easter Eggs being handed out (for free) by the Easter Bunny. The meeting was attended by lots of country/farming types similar to those found at Taunton, though geographically I can’t imagine there are many regulars at both. Most were enjoying the market stalls and pleasant spring weather. The course has a new stand just beyond the winning post which adds a touch of class.

At the previous meeting I had watched the action on Attheraces to get a feel for the course in preparation for my visit. Before racing jockey James Banks, a regular at the track was interviewed. He seemed to have a great understanding of the need to ride the course a certain way, mainly to be prominent and where to be at different stages of a race. Watching the action, it was clear this quirky course could be mastered by specific knowledge and experience. Was he in fact the course specialist? Despite being a conditional jockey only AP McCoy and Tom Scudamore had ridden more winners at Fakenham at this stage of the 2014-2015 season. I planned to back his four runners on the card. All could be made a form case for, without being obvious winners. Sadly, as I write this in 2020 James Banks has been in the news recently, tragically dying at the age of thirty-six. 

Race one was a selling hurdle in which I completely ignored the merits of the eventual winner Barneys Honour. James Banks initial ride disappointed. He did not have a ride in race two in which I backed the short priced favourite who only managed second. I needed a change of luck. Could James provide it in the third race, a handicap hurdle? His mount Ogaritmo approached the last with a two length lead and looked a certain winner given the very short run in. I was very aware though that this mare had fallen at the last at Fakenham two runs ago with the race at her mercy! Two lengths became one as she jumped somewhat hesitantly and allowed nearest challenger Another Journey another chance. In the sprint to the line our opponent was closing fast, appearing to go twice as fast for several key strides. The two of them flashed past the post together in a desperately tight finish. I was unsure of the outcome even after watching the slow motion replay. As we waited for the official verdict it was clear this would be a key moment in the day from a betting perspective. Thankfully James had just done enough on this 8-1 shot, holding on by a nose. These are fantastic confidence building moments when a strategy delivers but things could easily have been different.

For the next two races we relocated to the centre of the course watching next to a hurdle. This got us even closer to the action with an unusual angle of the finishing straight. It also allowed my two children a bit more space to engage in the classic game of tig. I love this photo of the two of them happily playing together. Race four saw further success for my strategy on the day. James Banks set off in front on bottom weight Unknown Legend (pictured above) and was never troubled. This 7-1 winner guaranteed a successful day. In the next I stuck with James, now looking for a treble but also backed Bold Adventure who had once run on the flat against a horse of mine Smarties Party. I have just watched this race again with 8-1 shot Bold Adventure flying at the end of the race to snatch victory in a four horse battle. I recall gleefully watching this from the centre of course catching glimpses of the runners through parked cars and attractions. The winner had previously won at Fakenham earlier in the year and it is clear course form is very significant there. Bold Adventure won an impressive twelve races on the flat and over the jumps in his career. After three straight winners, all at decent prices, we agreed to make a move back to our holiday base to go swimming. My plan to back the favourite in race six no longer mattered much. This had been a great day in all respects and I really liked Fakenham though, based on its location I am unlikely to visit often. The efforts of one particular jockey though made all the difference on day. Thanks very much to James Banks and may he rest in peace.