Richard Fahey: Worth a Shot
Last Updated: 05/06/14 3:55pm
Trainer Richard Fahey previews his runners at Catterick and Epsom on Friday and hopes to see Parbold return to his best.
I’d love to see Parbold come back to form at Epsom on Friday because we were all left scratching our heads with him last weekend.
I promise you he’s still working as nicely as ever at home, but was on his head almost from the start at Haydock last Saturday as all he wanted to was lug left.
We had him checked over thoroughly afterwards and there was nothing we could find – in fact, he’s absolutely bouncing - so I’ve put a hood on him to see if it helps to calm him down a little and we’re back up to seven furlongs in the Investec Surrey Stakes.
David O’Meara’s horse was impressive at the Dante meeting but if he’s back to what I know he can do, I think Parbold will be hard to beat. He has the ability, but I want him to go and do it now.
Hi There runs in the Investec Wealth & Investment Handicap and hopefully he’ll be right there.
He ran a big race in the City and Suburban over the course and distance and Ryan Moore’s on board, which can’t do any harm either.
Horses that act on the track are always at an advantage at Epsom. The worry is just whether there is something else in the race that is less-exposed, as he doesn’t get much help from the handicapper.
Spirit Of The Law and Farlow are my two in the Investec Mile. It’s a tough race but either of them could spring a surprise.
Spirit Of The Law is coming back down in trip and any cut in the ground will help him, but I suspect he might need to come down a couple more pounds in the weights.
I don’t really know what Farlow is going to make of the track but a drop of rain would also be in his favour and we’ll have to see how he takes to it. He’s got the talent and it’s good to have Paul on board, but at the end of the day Farlow is Farlow and we’ll really only know how he’s going to get on once the stalls open.
My pair in the last race on Oaks day, the Investec Asset Management Handicap, are Bretherton and Shot In The Sun.
Shot In The Sun continues to amaze me and you can never draw a line through her. She’s only a pony but I think she’ll like the course and although she’s hardly sparkling at home, she saves herself for the track.
Bretherton is a horse I’ve always liked although he might have preferred a slightly lower draw and it could be tough for him, but he won well last time with the blinkers on and I’ve kept them on here. I took them off the time before as I wasn’t sure they were working then when I put them back on, he won. They really do makes fools of you.
I’ve three up at Catterick on Friday too. Oak Bluffs isn’t showing me a great deal and he needs to buck his ideas up, but the other two would have chances.
Fullon Clarets goes in the opening British Stallion Studs EBF Maiden Stakes and he’s all right. He’ll definitely win his maiden at some stage, but the worry is whether five furlongs at Catterick might just catch him out first time.
Tango Sky ran a good, solid race on his first start for me and should have a chance in the same grade in the Pin Point Recruitment Handicap.