FAKENHAM (17 Apr 2006)

Good

5:30 gg.Com Mares' Only Maiden Open National Hunt Flat Race (class 6) (4-6yo)

[off 5:30] £1,713.00, £499.25, £249.75 2m

Comments In Running OR TS RPR

1 The Music Queen G A Swinbank 5 11-0 Jim Crowley 11/4J — —

2 ¾ Maggie Mathias (IRE) B G Powell 5 10-4 R J Killoran(10) 7/1 — —

3 2½ Mardi Roberta (IRE) B G Powell 4 10-4 J F Levins(5) 14/1 — —

4 7 High Life A King 4 10-9 W Hutchinson 5/1 — —

5 9 Taipan Sue (IRE) Noel T Chance 5 11-0 Antony Evans 6/1 — —

6 2½ Harissa (IRE) J W Mullins 4 10-2 S Elliott(7) 33/1 — —

7 4 True Dove R A Fahey 4 10-9 A Ross 11/4J — —

8 5 So Chic A King 4 10-2 Mr G Tumelty(7) 20/1 — —

9 3 Navelina T J Fitzgerald 6 11-0 A O´Keeffe 16/1 — —

10 17 Ellerslie Jackie O Brennan 6 11-0 J Mogford 50/1 — —

11 2 Lucky Pearl O Brennan 5 10-11 L Vickers(3) 20/1 — —

PU Bonny Busona K F Clutterbuck 6 10-9 S Walsh(5) 33/1 — —

12 ran TIME 3m 52.00s (slow by 11.00s) TOTAL SP 126%

1st OWNER: Abbadis Racing Club BRED: Wickfield Farm Partnership TRAINER: G A Swinbank

2nd OWNER: Mr & Mrs D A Gamble

3rd OWNER: P H Betts

TOTE WIN £3.40 PL £1.90, £2.90, £3.80; Ex £49.80; CSF £23.35Place 6 £60.89, Place 5 £20.12

PLACEPOT £55.70 to a £1 stake. Pool: £24,666.15. 322.85 winning tickets.

QUADPOT £11.80 to a £1 stake. Pool: £1,353.80. 84.55 winning tickets.

ANALYSIS: A decent pace sorted out the deadwood in this restricted field and only four had any chance from the turn out of the back straight with four furlongs to run.

THE MUSIC QUEEN used her previous experience to just get the better of stablemates MaggieMathias and Mardi Roberta, who both made pleasing racecourse debuts and it would be no surprise if both improve past the winner in time. The Music Queen looks to be progressing herself, although she only just seems to see out the trip on a sharp track. She looked set to clear away off the home bend but was all out to hold on.

Maggie Mathias got outpaced down the far side before staying on best of all, switching between her rivals up the straight, and she looks a staying sort.

Mardi Roberta,a full sister to connections' Big Rob, tried to make all and kept battling away after coming together with the winner around the home bend which did not help her cause. As the four-year-old against her elders, she deserves plenty of credit and should uphold family tradition.

High Life hugged the inside rail through the race, seemingly travelling well, but she was just tapped for toe into the last four furlongs, still finishing well clear of the rest.