ISABEL IS ONE HAPPY LADY AS THE CURTAIN FALLS ON FAKENHAM’S SEASON
Quoi De Neuf landed the feature Jarrold Chase at Fakenham’s final meeting of the season to leave trainer’s daughter Isabel Williams smiling on a sunny Ladies Day.
Williams was representing dad Evan and was delighted after the nine-year-old scooped the £25,000 contest and made the 450-mile round trip from South Wales worthwhile.
Ridden by Harry Cobden, Quoi De Neuf looked in trouble at the last but a blunder by rival Hatcher paved the way for Cobden to drive the 11/8 favourite home by a neck.
“He’s run here before which helps. And the prize money here is great so we had to come again. He’s a bonny horse and deserves this prize,” said Williams.
Jack Quinlan recorded his sixth win at the course in the calendar year when getting Go Fox home in the Jarrold Norwich, Cromer and Wymondham Chase.
Go Fox, for trainer Neil King, was under pressure on the final circuit but held on to win by seven lengths at 7/1.
Thirty minutes later King and Quinlan completed a double to collect a bonus £1,000 for the trainer and his winning owners under the Fakenham Prize Money Double Up Scheme when State of Bliss was an impressive winner of the Sworders Property Maiden Hurdle.
Runner-up at Fakenham last time, the well-backed State of Bliss won by three lengths, returned at 4/7.
While the day proved great fun for so many ladies present, another sporting a big smile was Fern O’Brien, who rode Semando for trainer Alex Dunn to land the British Racing School 40th Anniversary Female Jockeys’ Hurdle.
The 15/2 chance had left Jonjo O’Neill’s stable and provided O’Brien with her first career success over hurdles, although she had won over the larger obstacles.
“He’s a very cool horse. The trainer said stay on the inside and I did. He did it so well,” said O’Brien.
Alex Chadwick produced a stunning front-running ride to steer home Too Friendly to take the Racing TV Hurdle by six lengths. Trained by James Owen, Too Friendly ran his four rivals ragged with an impressive performance, returned at 2/1.
Mystic Man made it two wins from two chase starts when landing the opening Queen’s Dragoon Guards Prince of Wales Cup under Ben Bromley.
The positions never altered during the three-runner contest, with the Oliver Sherwood trained 10/11 favourite cruising home by 11 lengths.
After landing the honours in the feature race, Cobden completed a double when getting If Karl’s Berg Did home in the closing novice hurdle for trainer Milton Harris. The gelding, fifth on a previous Fakenham appearance, won at 9/4.
