Fast ‘N’ Famous Mare Too Good

Quintessential added to her outstanding carnival record with victory at Eagle Farm on Saturday in the Gr 3 Chairman’s Handicap. Her success followed on from last season’s Gr 1 Queensland Oaks triumph and she also finished runner-up in the Derby behind Savabeel’s WS-bred son Bramble.

A versatile mare who has won on all types of footing, the best representative of WS stallion Fast ‘N’ Famous was dominant on the rain-affected track.

“She loves this and it was a very similar track on Oaks day,” winning trainer John Sargent said. The plan had originally been to go back aboard the four-year-old, but the soft conditions resulted in a change in tactics for jockey Damian Browne, who went forward in the early stages to travel outside the leader Topping.

“Bit of rain about, a bit of moisture in the track and she was all guts today,” Browne said. “It’s very hard to make ground. I was aware of that so we went steady down the back and I went for her just before the corner to get them off the bit because I knew it would be a slog up the straight. Sarg’s horses are fit and he had her ready for today.”

Quintessential is Fast N Famous’ second stakes winner this term behind Our Famous Eve.