Richard Fahey Stable Tour: Top trainer on his team for the new Flat season
Richard Fahey takes us through his team for the new Flat season and - along with assistants Robin O'Ryan and Jess McLernon - provides a horse to follow.
Horses to follow
Richard Fahey: Sands Of Mali
Robin O'Ryan: Calvados Spirit
Jess McLernon : Maybride
(Click on the horse's name for full profile, complete video form and to add to your My Stable tracker)
ANOTHER TOUCH: I’m just worried he might be a twilight horse but he ran well to be third in the Unibet Doncaster Mile on Saturday. He’s rated 102 which doesn’t give us too many options.
BENGALI BOYS: A bit like Another Touch, he needs to step up - maybe he’s not Group class but he ran really well at Newcastle the other day and I’m delighted with him. There aren’t many races for him and I hope he doesn’t end up in no man’s land but the three-year-old sprint at York in June will be on his agenda.
BOUNDSY: Wintered very well and won three of his last four starts in 2017. He seems to be progressing. He needs to but I’m very happy with him and he looks fantastic right now. He was in at Doncaster at the weekend but we swerved that and he could end up at Newmarket in the big handicap at the Craven Meeting.
BRIAN THE SNAIL: He’s had his wind done over the winter and hasn’t done any fast work yet. We’re very happy with him physically and mentally he seems in good order. He’s a horse we liked a lot and he just needs to get his confidence back and go on from there. He’s rated 95 and I’d like to think he might develop into a Wokingham horse.
CALVADOS SPIRIT: He’s new to the yard and seems a nice horse. We’ve been happy with him and his work – we’re still learning about him and are playing it by ear.
CARNAGEO: Tough, hardy horse who ran well in Irish Lincoln from a poor draw. Soft ground and a mile are his forte and he’s sure to pick up a race or two this year.
CHINGACHGOOK: He’s quite a backward horse and has been placed a few times. His work is better than his form but he’s quite a late maturing horse both mentally and physically and is one I hope will progress as the season goes on.
CONSTANTINO: He ran ok the Lincoln trial and will go to Bath on Friday. There’s no reason he won’t be as effective on the turf despite a lower rating than the all-weather. It’s a £50,000 pot so we’ll give it a go and see what happens.
CROWNTHORPE: Ran in Ireland on Sunday and had been working extremely well so it was no surprise to see him run a big race to finish third. We’re very happy with him and he’ll be a decent handicapper this term.
DANCE DIVA: She’s wintered extremely well. I’m a little worried she might be another twilight horse but she’ll run in either the Fred Darling or Nell Gwynn and we’ll get an idea there . I’m very happy with her and she’s done very well both mentally and physically. I didn’t put her in the Guineas, she has 15 or 16 pounds to find on ratings, and I hope I’ve made a mistake but there are plenty of other races for her.
EASTERN IMPACT: He is what he is and was in and out last year – a typical sprinter. I just hope his turn comes some time this season. He’ll start off at Newmarket in the race he finished second to Mr Lupton in last year.
EQUITANT: He’s a horse we like. He’s well handicapped on the work we see at home and he’s done very well over the winter. While his last run was disappointing he will progress. He has the scope to do it.
EXHORT: She’s quite a nice filly and has done extremely well over the winter. She’s another with plenty of scope and could progress into a decent filly this year.
FOREST RANGER: There’s no easy place for him with a rating of 110 and he’s going to have to run in pattern races and see how he goes. The Earl Of Sefton might be a starting point for him but he did very well over the winter and we’re just struggling to get the fat off him at the moment. He’s been gelded and has done well but until we have him fit we won’t firm up plans. We’re undecided whether he’s better over a mile or ten furlongs at the minute.
GABRIAL: We were very happy with going into the Lincoln on Saturday and he ran well to finish fourth. He could tell you himself about the season ahead but he’s still capable of competing at a high level.
GREAT PROSPECTOR: We liked him an awful lot last year but I was a fraction disappointed with a couple of his runs. He might start off at Newcastle on Good Friday, if not, he’ll go to the Free Handicap. He’s in the Guineas but that looks unlikely as we stand for all we’ve been very happy with him.
GROWL: He’ll be in every big sprint handicap. He was another I was a little disappointed with in 2017 but he’s gone from 114 to 103 and that gives him a chance to operate again. The Ayr Gold Cup will be high on his list.
HEAVEN’S GUEST: I was delighted to see him win at Newcastle the other day. He was well beaten at Doncaster on Sunday but I do think he’s well handicapped now and I’d like to think he’ll get his head in front again this season.
INDOMENEO: He won five last season and is another to have done well over the winter. He’ll start off in the valuable three-year-old handicap at Musselburgh and will be aimed at all those sort of races.
KIMBERELLA: He returns to Lingfield on Good Friday for the Sprint he won last season. It’s been frustrating to try and get him qualified this year. I had to run him over five furlongs which I didn’t think suited him. We’ve freshened him having had to get three runs into him. He’s in good form and can hopefully defend his title.
MARIE OF LYON: We’ve always liked her. She did win a couple last year and picked up some Black Type but we still think she can progress. She works really well at home and looks fantastic. The owner is keen on Black Type but I think there’s a big handicap in her.
MAYBRIDE: Big, scopey, filly who has wintered extremely well. She could end up a Black Type performer so should be doing something for us in handicaps first off a mark of 86. The fillies are a little behind this year and we haven’t made any plans for her yet.
MILITIA: He works well. He was a breeze-up horse and very keen so we didn’t do a lot with him last year and he ran respectably. He’s more relaxed this time around and hopefully we’ll be able to control his mind and speed. He has plenty of natural pace and should do well.
MR LUPTON: He finished second in the Cammidge and always runs well fresh. He’s not good enough for Group races but can run well in big handicaps.
PENWORTHAM: A Chester specialist who had some terrible draws last year. The only time he got a good one – he won. He’ll head to the May Meeting there and is a good, hardy, horse who is progressing.
PRIVATE MATTER: He was a very good two-year-old but had a bit of a blank season last year. He had been working really well ahead of his reappearance at Doncaster on Sunday but didn’t run up to expectations. I hope we can get him back on track.
QUEEN PENN: Quite a backward filly. She did win last season but was always going to be better at three. Off a rating of 77 she can hopefully do some damage.
REGULATOR: He’s a horse we liked a lot and he is progressive. He’s done well over the winter and you’d like to think something like the Britannia at Royal Ascot might come into play for him.
SANDS OF MALI: His form seemed to tail off last season. I don’t know what happened in the Middle Park and he didn’t stay a mile over at the Breeders’ Cup but he’s done exceptionally well over the winter. He’s worked a couple of times and we were delighted with him. He’ll probably start out in France in a Group Three at Chantilly and we hope turns out to be a Group One horse. He’s rated to be one. We’re thinking six or seven furlongs with him now and will definitely start at six with the Commonwealth Cup in mind. It’s easy to find races for him as there are only four before Royal Ascot and he’ll run in one or two of them.
SCOFFLAW: He progressed last year – hopefully he’ll improve again as he’s done well over the winter. With a bit of luck he’ll win again this term.
SHOWMETHEDOUGH: Was bought for Marwan Koukash so will be running at Chester. We like the horse and off 84 he could sneak into some of the better races.
SOCIETY RED: A big, backward horse who ended up winning a £50,000 pot last season. He’s going to keep improving and does stay well. He is maturing and there’s a bit left in the tank with him. He has a chance off 82.
STAMP HILL: He ran in the Lincoln and I’m not sure he truly stays a mile. He’s a horse who can compete in the high level handicaps and he’ll go in them again this year.
THIRD TIME LUCKY: I was very happy with him going into the Irish Lincoln but he finished 18th. He’s off the rating he won the Cambridgeshire from a couple of years ago – he’s only won one race since. He should be competitive and the draw didn’t help him at Naas.
WILDE OSCAR: He’s only rated 52 but is a huge horse who hasn’t got it together yet. He was again slowly away at Wolverhampton on Saturday night and keeps getting himself into trouble but if he can’t win off his current mark I’ll pack up training.
WIRRAL GIRL: She cost a few quid from the breeze-up sales but sadly only had two speeds – slow or flat out. She’s wintered well and is more manageable now so should be winning races off 75.
WITHERNSEA: He ran in the Lincoln. He loves soft ground but will find it tough off 97. Hopefully the handicapper will give him a bit of help.
ZAP: He’ll be running in those three-year-old sprint handicaps at Windsor, Newmarket and York. He was gelded at two but seems to have settled down. He hasn’t done any fast work yet but we’re pleased with his progress.
TWO-YEAR-OLDS: We’re very happy with them. We’re a little behind in sorting them out as we haven't been able to get them onto the grass gallop at Malton. We’re in the dark but as a bunch they look very good and it was encouraging to see our first runner Wasntexpectingthat shape well when third in the Brocklesby.