EDMUNDS GETS BUSY AT THE DOUBLE WITH MORE FAKENHAM SUCCESS
Trainer Stuart Edmunds overcame initial disappointment to collect another Fakenham Double Up bonus after two victories on Tuesday.
Favourite backers were stunned in the Racing TV Maiden Hurdle for which Kelijoe was sent off 8/11 market leader. Under Bowen, Edmunds’ French import proved too free-running and it was left for a patiently ridden Abbey Law to triumph at 12/1.
Trainer Lucy Wadham’s filly was seventh of nine on hurdling debut at Huntingdon, but ridden by Gavin Sheehan, she did her job well to cause an upset.
“He was a bit green and too free but the race will do him good,” said Edmunds.
The trainer quickly had a change of fortune when top weight Toonagh Warrior squeezed home by a short head to win the racingtv.com hurdle at 11/2 under Lee Edwards.
The winner and Jongleur D’Etoiles fought out a thrilling finish with Edwards’ mount just doing enough to get the verdict.
And there was better to come Edmunds and Edwards when Busy Being Busy, a winner at the previous Fakenham meeting, scored a superb victory in the feature, the £15,000 Weatherbys Hamilton Hurdle.
Dropped out at the back of the five-runner field early, Edwards gradually closed the gap before seeing the 4/5 favourite home.
“He’s a lovely horse, did it so well,” said Edmunds, whose double meant a £1,000 bonus for him and for the owners of both of his winning horses.
“Stuart’s done a great job with the horse. He loves the track, jumps well and was a worthy winner. He was a real handful when he first came to Stuart from Ireland,” said the winning jockey.
It was no surprise that 2/5 favourite Summerleaze landed the Racing TV Mares’ Novice Hurdle, but the manner of victory was not as clear the odds suggested.
Jockeys’ championship leader Sean Bowen had to work hard to galvanise trainer Olly Murphy’s mare. With two flights to go, frontrunning Varina led, but Bowen stoked up the mare who took over to record the rider’s 163rd winner of the season.
The Queen Boudicca Mares’ Chase was a match between 1/9 chance Loud and Proud and Ballygelly, beaten in three hurdle races and two chases in her career. Loud and Proud set off in front but faded and it was Ballygelly who produced a major shock at 5/1 for David Noonan and trainer Emma-Jane Bishop.
The closing Grassroots Maiden Hunter Chase for the Turner Trophy went to Good Source under Rupert Stearn, trained appropriately by Edward Turner at 5/1.
That hardly told the story as two were pulled up and two fell leaving the eventual winner and frontrunner Get Bye to fight it out.
