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Fellowes praises course as it stages first Listed race and takes aim with two

7.40 Chelmsford
totepool Queen Charlotte Fillies’ Stakes | Listed | 7f | 4yo+ | ATR

Newmarket trainer Charlie Fellowes has described prize-money at Chelmsford as phenomenal, with the all-weather venue hosting its first Listed race and the most valuable evening meeting of the year in Britain on Wednesday.

The first running of the totepool Queen Charlotte Fillies’ Stakes has attracted 14 runners and is worth £75,000 on a card on which prize-money totals more than £233,000 – a figure that just tops the Brigadier Gerard evening card at Sandown in May.

Fellowes, who runs Carolinae and Feathery in the Listed contest, said: “Chelmsford deserve it as the prize-money is phenomenal. They make a lot of other racecourses look like they are not up to scratch, so credit must go to Chelmsford and Fred Done.”

The Dean Ivory-trained Lucymai has not finished out of the first three in her last eight starts at the track and comes out on top on official ratings, but Fellowes is hopeful of a big run from his two contenders.

Carolinae finishes second to Diagnostic at Lingfield in March under his Chelmsford partner Stevie Donohoe
Carolinae finishes second to Diagnostic at Lingfield in March under his Chelmsford partner Stevie DonohoeCredit: Mark Cranham

He said: “My eyes lit up when I saw there was a new seven-furlong fillies’ Listed race at Chelmsford. If ever Carolinae is going to win at this level, this is the one.

"She ran a blinder at Nottingham to get some black type and we want to win one. This has been the plan for her since January 1.

“Feathery is a definite danger. She’s improved notably since going in foal and ran a really nice race from a poor draw last time. They’ve got excellent chances and it’s quite hard to split them.”

The course staged the rescheduled Greenham, Fred Darling and John Porter Stakes in 2016, but the new race will be the first black-type contest of a permanent nature at the track, with 5,000 racegoers expected at Ladies' Day at the course the following afternoon.

Fraser Garrity, course manager, said: "We're delighted to have attracted 14 runners for the first running of our Listed race.

"It looks a very competitive renewal and there's even an international flavour, with Willie McCreery bringing over Belle Boyd from Ireland.

"It's a race and meeting we'll look to build on in years to come, but we're really pleased with the support it has received."


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Jack HaynesReporter

Published on 19 June 2018inNews

Last updated 19:11, 19 June 2018

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