DIAMONDS certainly are a Dousland woman?s best friend after she won a prestigious race at Ascot last weekend, writes Anna Mansell.

Christine Hannaford, 29, rode to victory in the ladies? Agra Diamond Handicap on Saturday and won a stunning diamond necklace by De Beers, diamond jewellery specialists.

Her prize was a white gold oval pendant necklace, set with a yellow diamond in the centre and three white diamonds on each side. In previous years the De Beers? prize has been valued between £1,500 and £3,000.

In her fourth win of the season Christine, now based in north Devon, rode three-year-old Resonate to a clear win in a field of 22 horses after taking the lead in the final furlong.

She said: ?The necklace is really nice and not too dressy. It?s simple, you could wear it with anything. With this kind of prize, this is my favourite win.?

Having ridden in the race twice before without winning, Christine did not have the greatest expectations for Saturday.

She said: To start with you just don?t think it will happen, you just hope everything will go right on the day when you?ve got a horse with half a chance, which Resonate did.

?We weren?t really sure what was going to happen, he needed the going to be soft and it rained just in time for him ? the softer the better for him, really.?

The race, which Resonate?s north Devon trainer Tony Newcombe describes as ?the one all the ladies want to win?, is run at a key time in the Ascot meet following one of horse racing?s biggest events ? the King George Diamond stakes ? and had a crowd of 37,000 spectators.

The former Tavistock College student has also represented Great Britain this year in the international ladies? series, coming first in Malta and second in Italy.

Mr Newcombe, who runs the small yard in Yarnscombe where Christine works with her boyfriend, ex-jockey Jon Lovejoy, said: ?Christine is a very popular, hard working jockey, very much respected because of her dedication. Her invitation to ride for Great Britain is symbolic of how much she has improved in her ride.?

Christine is now looking to carry on winning and hopes to repeat last year?s success when she rides in the £25,000 ladies? derby at Bath next month. Christine won the first ever ladies? derby last year.