Mr Lupton goes for glory at Ascot on Saturday
Richard Fahey column ahead of Redcar, Newmarket and Ascot
By Richard Fahey
Horse Racing
Sat October 06, 2018 · 6y ago
Mr Lupton is reported to be getting quicker with age as leading trainer Richard Fahey guides us through his Saturday team.
Best chances
Mr Lupton (1.50 Ascot)
Red Balloons (2.45)
Clubbable (4.25 Newmarket)
Last month was a relatively quiet one for the yard in terms of winners but we had a lot of seconds in that time and three winners already in October (at the time of writing) has seen us tick over to 170 for the calendar year, so hopefully we can keep up the good work.
Mr Lupton has already contributed with three victories in 2018 and I swear this horse is getting quicker with age. He's just getting stronger and more mature and while he's got a weight penalty in Ascot's Listed Duke Of Edinburgh's Award Rous Stakes, we know he's solid at this level and Gerald Mosse liked him when he won on him in the Group Three at Newbury last time.
We always felt he wanted soft ground but he's fine whatever now and that latest victory was right up there with his career best. He must have a good chance of going in again.
George Bowen and Growl go for the yard in the Challenge Cup. George can gallop all right and I think it's worth a go back up to seven furlongs with him for the first time for a couple of years.
Growl was a bit disappointing last time as I thought he'd have enjoyed the ground at Ayr but he just got a bit stuck in it. Paul (Hanagan) said he wasn't happy from an early stage but he seems well in himself since and is obviously well handicapped on his best form.
We start what will hopefully be a successful day at Redcar with Ventura Ocean in division one of the Racing UK's Biggest Ever Flat Season EBF Stallions Novice Stakes.
He's a horse we like but he's got a penalty here and will need to bounce back from his lesser effort at York last time. We believe he's better than that.
Jimmy Greenhough runs in division two and he'll make a nice type in time but I'd be a little surprised if he could win first time out.
We run four in the Racing UK Two Year Old Trophy, arguably topped by Red Balloons under Paul. She was a great purchase and has already won a massive pot at York.
I thought she'd win the Super Sprint at Newbury to be honest so it was nice to see her go and do it last time and we've kept her fresh for this weekend since. With a rating of 96 I'd hope she's right there at the finish in this company.
Red Balloons pictured winning at York
Kodyanna was a bit of a disaster in the Firth Of Clyde at Ayr last time but had been a good third to Red Balloons at York previously and we've still got faith. Getting back on better ground will help, I suspect.
Lightning Attack and Wasntexpecting that will both need to improve a fair way to get seriously involved, although the latter ran a massive race at Doncaster and if there's a drop of rain around then that would help him out.
We've had a few niggly little problems with Great Prospector but it's nice to get him back in the Racing UK EBF Stallions Guisborough Stakes. He's entitled to need it but has pleased me at home, as have the other two.
Picture No Sound is up in grade in the same race and needs to improve despite winning well at Doncaster, and Dance Diva is a good, black type filly and would be thereabouts if bringing her A-game.
Accessor has just his second start for us in the Market Cross Jewellers Handicap and I'm still working him out with trip and everything else. We've plenty to work on after he was last of six at Thirsk last month but his maiden form last year is quite eyecatching as he beat Ostilio, who is now Pattern class. Hopefully we can get him back.
We're sending a handful to Newmarket and start with Maggies Angel in the British EBF Breeders' Fillies' Series Sprint Handicap. She ran a funny sort of race at Pontefract but the whole race was odd as nothing really changed position from start to finish so I'm inclined to ignore the form to some degree.
She's been eased another 3lb and is down to 90 now so she looks in the right sort of race.
We've Metallic Black and Essenza in the £150,000 Tattersalls October Auction Stakes. The former hasn't quite gone on since winning in good style on debut at Pontefract but he's got time on his side and I wouldn't be writing him off. Essenza is a solid enough filly but she may just struggle here.
Clubbable is a genuine filly and can take a hand in the finish in the British EBF Breeders' Fillies' Series Mile Handicap. Things didn't go right for her at Chelmsford but seven furlongs at Newmarket will suit her well.
This could be her penultimate outing as we're looking at a race at Fontainebleau on November 14 as her potential swansong.