Newsboy fancies his nap, Kelijoe, to win at Fakenham and also hopes Time Tested can score at Chelmsford and complete his Daily Double
KELIJOE is fancied to make it third time lucky at Fakenham by lifting the Gamble Plant Norfolk Ltd Handicap Hurdle (2.20) in North Norfolk on Friday.Two visits to Alan Partridge country have yielded a brace of silver medals for the Stuart Edmunds-tutored six-year-old – Kelijoe finished second in a maiden hurdle there on April Fool’s Day and in a Fakenham novice event in mid-October.
On the back of fifth placings in the handicap sphere at Chepstow and Huntingdon, my selection doubled his career tally – Kelijoe landed a bumper in his native France in November 2024 – in a similar event for novices at Doncaster 13 days before Christmas.Sent off the 9-4 favourite against eight opponents, Charlie Hammond’s mount tanked through the contest, leading at the second-last obstacles to hold Big Storm Brewing by three and three-quarter lengths.Given the authority of his victory, a 7lb rise in the weights was to be expected but Kelijoe has more to offer for his in-form trainer and his style of racing looks tailored for Fakenham.
At Chelmsford City, TIME TESTED has plenty going for him as he bids to register a third triumph over 10 furlongs at the Essex Showground – and his sixth overall – in the CCR Handicap (3.42).FRIDAY’S SELECTIONSAYR12.30 COCO MASTERPIECE1.00 LIKE MINDED1.30 POWEROFJET2.00 FOREST BLAZE2.30 WHOLLY BOLEY3.00 YOUNG JACK3.30 HIGHLAND FASHIONFAKENHAM12.20 BRIERY BUTTERFLY12.50 UNCLE AL1.20 SENSE OF REASON1.50 OVERABOTTLEOFRED2.20 KELIJOE (NAP)2.50 ONE LAST GLANCE3.20 HIDOR DE BERSYCHELMSFORD CITY12.42 CHARLIE MASON1.12 DIFFERENT TONE1.42 MAD DASH2.12 ME TARZAN2.42 THANH NAM3.12 GLADIADORA3.42 TIME TESTED (NB)WOLVERHAMPTON4.30 BETTIES BAY5.00 MIDNIGHT CALL5.30 JUNO STAR6.00 TACTICAL BLITZ6.30 LANDLORDTOTHESTARS7.00 TONAL7.30 EMPEROR’S SON8.00 MOONLIGHT BOMB8.30 CIOTOGDOUBLE: KELIJOE and TIME TESTED
