Listed ambitions pay off for Fonteyn team

Horse Racing

‘We think an awful lot of her… it’s no surprise she’s gone and done that’.

Kevin Ryan’s Fonteyn landed Listed honours at York in taking the Oaks Farm Stables Fillies’ Stakes for Andrea Atzeni and owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid.

The three-year-old was placed on both her juvenile starts and finished the runner-up when contesting a Newmarket maiden in April and coming home a neck behind Juddmonte’s smartly-bred Crenelle.

A 6-1 chance on the Knavesmire as a result, the daughter of Farhh travelled in the centre of the field and hit the front with two furlongs to go, ultimately holding off 13-8 favourite Grande Dame by a head.

Ryan said: “We didn’t think she did everything right at Newmarket and the front two were well clear.

“There was no point winning a little maiden, so I spoke to Sheikh Mohammed Obaid and he was in full agreement that we should come here for a Listed race and it’s paid off.

Fonteyn winning on the Knavesmire
Fonteyn winning on the Knavesmire (Tim Goode/PA)

“We think an awful lot of her and it’s no surprise she’s gone and done that.

“I have nothing in mind. I’ll speak to Sheikh Mohammed Obaid. This was our first target and now we’ve got that out of the way we can now plan the rest of the campaign.

“She’s still learning. There’s plenty of time as the year goes on.”

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