News: Blazing Bailey proved the class act as he earned a possible trip to the Cheltenham Festival when maintaining his unbeaten record at Fontwell yesterday.
The Alan King-trained gelding was a decent, if unspectacular performer on the Flat, but he had impressed many when winning at the track last month and was duly sent off a 9 to 4 chance.
He jumped like a natural again in the Docker Hughes Memorial Juvenile Novices' Hurdle and after quickening up on the home turn, he put the result beyond doubt.
At the line, Robert Thornton's mount had 12 lengths to spare over Flaming Weapon, with Avalon staying on to take third.
Thornton completed a 10 to 1 double as he steered 5 to 2 joint-favourite He's The Gaffer to a nine-length success over the gambled-on Matthew Muroto in the Malsar Kest Handicap Chase.
Fontwell favourite Smart Guy narrowly failed to sign off with a win when chasing home Quizzling in the Leighton Aspell Fan Club Handicap Chase.
Aspell, riding 14-year-old Smart Guy, did his best to give some cheer to the race sponsors, but Quizzling (7 to 2) kept pulling out enough in the home straight to hold his challenger by two and a half lengths.
Quizzling was winning for the first time in his career, but retirement now beckons for Smart Guy.
Trainer Linda Jewell said: "He has been with me since he was a three-year-old and we love him to bits. He loves Fontwell and it was right that we let him bow out here today."
Aspell gained some immediate compensation in the following EBF "National Hunt Novices" Hurdle when the Nick Gifford-trained Dusky Lord outbattled Idris to score by three lengths.
The lightly-raced seven-year-old had been off the course with a minor injury since winning at Plumpton more than three months before.
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