Raceday LIVE – Cave Article
Related horse(s):
Cave ArticleRead our Raceday LIVE Preview below and join us ahead of the race for all the build-up and live updates from the track with the team and Rockstar Icon's lucky owners for the day across our social channels on X (@coral) and Instagram (@coralofficial).
Raceday LIVE Preview
Cave Article is set to make his seasonal reappearance today having been off the track since earning his opening handicap mark of 78 at the end of March. Today's race will be the first time that the club's five-year-old son of Court Cave faces handicap company following efforts in two maidens and one novice contest earlier in the year.
His first run, which was on soft ground, didn't quite go to plan as Cave Article was far too keen in the early stages of the race, which lead to him burning out and eventually being pulled up with three hurdles left to jump. He struggled to settle in his next two runs as well, but was allowed to just head off in front by jockeys Jack Tudor and Nick Scholfield in his second and third contests respectively. Despite him struggling to sustain his efforts with his race rivals in both those performances (finished 6th and 10th), it will have given him vital race experience which will put him in good stead going forward.
WATCH: Race Reflections following Cave Article's third run at Taunton
Christian has decided to step Cave Article back up in trip today to 2m4f following two efforts over two miles, and given he was second in his final point-to-point race in Ireland at Ballycrystal over three miles, this longer distance should benefit him more than anything.
Adam Wedge is booked to take the hot seat onboard our gelding this afternoon, which will mark the first time he's ridden in the famous Coral Racing Club blue star silks. Primarily based with Evan Williams, Wedge also picks up rides for Christian where possible and has partnered a few of his horses in recent weeks.
The going is currently set to be Good, as it was when Cave Article ran at Fakenham on his second start, so the conditions should be fine for our five-year-old gelding.
Raceday message from Christian Williams
"Cave Article makes his seasonal reappearance at Fakenham this afternoon on a novices’ handicap hurdle. I know I said in my previous update that the plan was to go chasing this season, and that is still the case. I just think this is a nice race for him to kick things off for the campaign.
Fakenham is a lovely racecourse, and I think he will enjoy it around there. He is fit and ready to go. This is obviously his handicap debut now which makes life easier. We have the second lowest weight allocation in the contest so that will play in our favour.
Credit to Fakenham for putting up some decent prize money for a class five handicap. I am hopeful we can finish in the frame, but whatever happens in this race, he will come on for this run."
Trainer and Jockey Statistics
Christian Williams has been in relatively quiet form recently, only landing one winner in the last fortnight from 20 runners, and he's managed a total of 13 winners from 113 runners since the start of the season in April. Fakenham is a track that Christian has frequently found success at, with 21 career winners from 84 runners, however he hasn't scored at the Norfolk track from any of the three runners he's sent there this season.
Adam Wedge has been in similarly quiet form recently, posting one winner from 31 rides in the last fortnight. At Fakenham, he's had 19 career winners from 100 rides at the course, and he's also yet to register a winner there this season having only had one ride so far this year. Adam and Christian have combined for six winners in total, with one of those arriving earlier this season.
Cave Article's 10 Owners for the Day
As winners of the recent Owner for the Day competition, 10 lucky Coral Racing Club members have been given the chance to enjoy an exclusive owners experience for Cave Article's run at Fakenham this afternoon.
Each winner, along with a guest of their choosing, will receive free entry to Fakenham Racecourse, including exclusive access to Owners & Trainers areas. They'll have the opportunity to meet Cave Article and the Christian Williams team, plus get to head into the parade ring before the race begins to be amongst all the other owners, trainers and jockeys. And last but by no means least, each winner will get to take home an equal 10% split of any prize money won by Rockstar Icon.
Prize Money
Today's Class 5 Handicap contest is worth £15,000 in total, with the winner set to scoop £7,921 for their lucky owners.
2nd: £3,645 | 3rd: £1,822 | 4th: £912 | 5th: £454
Chris Dixon, Racing TV Analyst, previews Cave Article's chances this afternoon, and the key opposition in the race.
Cave Article hasn’t shown much in three starts under rules so far but did so when runner-up in the second of his two starts in Irish Point-to-Points, with a couple of subsequent winners under rules in behind. Clearly he needs to step up on what he’s delivered but the step up in trip and switch to handicaps off a lowly mark following a break gives hope there could be some improvement to come, especially given the stable often get low-level handicappers to progress.
Double Powerful is the horse to beat as he looks to bring up a fifth win on the spin after winning very easily at Worcester last time. He’s well-in under a 7lbs penalty and will be hard to stop if in the same form. Laser Focus has done very well on the flat since joining James Owen and is of some interest on just his third hurdles run for the yard while Highway One O Five is still a maiden but has shown enough to suggest a race at this level should be within his capabilities and he could strip fitter for his recent return from a short break.
16:20 FAKENHAM – LATEST BETTING HERE
We hope you enjoyed reading today's Raceday LIVE Preview. Don't forget to tune in just before 16:20 to watch Cave Article's next run for the club live on the Coral Sports app.