Fontwell betting with William Hill

Fontwell Park is a popular National Hunt racecourse located in the village of Fontwell in West Sussex.

The Arena Leisure Company-owned course stages racing all rear round, with at least one jumps’ fixture in every calendar month except July, where they have a mid-summer break.

There were 24 race days scheduled at Fontwell Park in 2019, all broadcast live on Sky Sports Racing.

The track opened a brand new £6.5m Premier Enclosure Grandstand in 2010, which is sponsored by events and plant hire company Winner Group.

The Grade 2 National Spirit Hurdle, staged in late February, is the highlight of Fontwell's season and this recognised Cheltenham Festival trial is often won by a horse that goes on to run with distinction at the festival.

2006 winner My Way De Solzen went on to land one of the biggest prizes of all at Prestbury Park, the World Hurdle.

Fontwell’s one other major race is the Southern National Chase, a valuable staying handicap run in November.

Fontwell betting – the big meetings/races

The National Spirit Hurdle is named after National Spirit, a dual Champion Hurdle winner in the 1940s, who won on five occasions at Fontwell Park during his illustrious career.

This popular 2m3f Fontwell betting contest is nearly always won by a horse capable of at least competing at Grade 1 level and takes pride of place on Fontwell’s Sunday meeting in the second half of February.

Few horses have won the National Spirit Hurdle in the manner of Camping Ground in 2017. Unfortunately for Gary Moore’s star, it was his last time he was seen on a racecourse and he never got to land the Grade 1 prize he promised to deliver.

The Southern National Chase takes place in November and is a thoroughly competitive 0-140 handicap run over 3m4f. It had a purse of just over £20k in 2019.

Only one double-figure priced horse (Aerial, 2016) won this handicap in the 10-year period between 2009 and 2018, but only one outright favourite won the race in that period.

Fontwell odds – impact on ante-post betting for future races

The National Spirit Hurdle is the one big race at Fontwell that is won by a horse who can go on to contend for top honours.

Easy 2011 winner Celestial Halo had finished second and fourth in the previous two Champion Hurdle’s and had been travelling like the winner before falling at the second last in the Grade 1 Aintree Hurdle the previous season, so was a proven top-level performer.

He went on to win three more races in 2011, including the Grade 2 Elite Hurdle at Wincanton.

The race can prove the springboard to a top-class career as a staying hurdler, as it did with My Way De Solzen in 2006. The Stayers’ Hurdle is an obvious target, along with the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree.

The big pre-Christmas Grade 1 for stayers is the Long Walk Hurdle at Ascot, in December.

2019 winner Vison Des Flos had been beaten narrowly in the Grade 2 Kingwell Hurdle at Wincanton on his previous start. Horses who run well in that contest will usually take high rank in Fontwell betting lists for the National Spirit Hurdle.

The Southern National Chase can be won by a progressive chaser capable of making his mark in handicaps at bigger tracks.

The often very competitive London National Handicap Chase at Sandown the following month is a potential next target, as was the case for 2017 Southern National winner Cresswell Breeze who went on to finish third at Sandown off a 7lb higher mark.

Fontwell betting - course characteristics

Fontwell’s chase course is a unique figure-of-eight circuit that is considered to be very sharp – it is the only jumps course in the country with such a layout.

Because the runners are so often on the turn, it really doesn’t suit long-striding gallopers that need to get into a rhythm.

Fontwell fences are quite easy, so nimble horses that jump and travel strongly can often get away from their rivals. It also suits quirky horses or ‘thinkers’, probably because the track demands they keep their concentration.

The hurdle course is oval-shaped with galloping back and home straights, and sweeping bends at either end. This track is much more suitable for big galloping types than the chase course, something that needs bearing in mind when you are studying William Hill’s Fontwell betting lists.

The finish is quite stiff so horses need to be able to get home because races often develop a fair way out at Fontwell – even more so when the ground is testing.

Finally, the paddock exit is situated up the run-in on the hurdles course which sometimes spells trouble – horses try and duck out if they catch a glimpse of it.

Fontwell betting tips

Course specialists are the way to go at Fontwell – largely because of the unique nature of the chase course. Horses that show an aptitude for the track tend to come back and repeat the feat even if the Fontwell betting lists appear to given them little chance.

With that in mind, pay close attention to horses with a ‘c’ next to their name in the racecards.

David Pipe won the Southern National Chase two years in succession (2009-10) with Peut Etre Sivola who won by three lengths at the first time of asking then doubled the winning margin in 2010, when sent off favourite in William Hill’s Fontwell betting lists.

Pipe has a good record with his runners at Fontwell so keep an eye out for any entries from Pond House, while another trainer with a good record there is Oliver Sherwood, who has consistently shown a level-stakes profit at the track in recent years.

Gary Moore is a popular trainer at all of the southern courses and he rarely leaves Fontwell without a winner.

He trained more winners at Fontwell than anyone else between 2013 and 2018. Understandably, his runners are always very popular in Fontwell betting lists even if they come into the race out of form, which means they can be over bet at times.

Aidan Coleman wouldn’t ride at Fontwell as often as many other jockeys, but take note when he does because he is one of the few jockeys to have a profitable strike-rate at the venue in recent years.

Fontwell racecourse – how to get there

The racecourse is situated just off the A27/A29 roundabout between Chichester and Arundel, with the course entrance situated around 300yds away on the right-hand side. It is well signposted on the roundabout.

The main car park on race days is accessible via Fontwell Avenue (A29 towards Bognor Regis). The nearest train station is Barnham which is directly accessible from London Victoria, Portsmouth and Brighton.

Fontwell Park runs a shuttle bus from the station to the course from two hours before the first race and immediately after the last.

Helicopters can be used to land on the course on race days providing permission is given beforehand.

Boost your Fontwell betting experience

For more Fontwell betting news, visit news.williamhill.com and be sure to check out William Hill promotions where you can find the best Fontwell odds throughout the year.