'He's been a star' - Quinault bounces back to land Listed honours for Stuart Williams

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Stuart Williams moved one away from notching 1,000 domestic winners after Quinault bounced back to winning ways in the Listed Queensferry Stakes.

The four-year-old, who got the better of subsequent July Cup winner Mill Stream in one of his seven handicap wins last year, had struggled in Pattern company but proved not for catching here under Marco Ghiani, who kicked rounding the home turn and scored by a length.

Williams said: "He originally came from the breeze-ups and the reason we ended up with him was he was trying to bolt off everywhere, and he's still got that in him a little bit. He's a very sensible horse, but once you say go, it's go, and there isn't any coming back.

"It's nice to get him back on track and to win a Listed race with him. He's a lovely horse, and it's not often we get to deal with horses of this quality. We were lucky to buy him when we did and he's been a star for the team."

Williams didn't rule out a trip abroad for Quinault, who was winning for the first time outside of handicap company.

He added: "I'd love him to go seven furlongs round a bend somewhere if I could find the right race for him – I think that would be ideal.

"We wouldn't be against travelling him later in the year. We might go abroad somewhere, some of the tighter tracks, maybe in America, somewhere like that might suit him."

Debut win

Jamie Osborne saddled his first juvenile winner of the year when Neardown quickened up well to land the 7½f maiden under his daughter Saffie.

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