Richard Fahey’s First Century Of Flat Winners

Richard Fahey reached a first-time century of Flat winners in a season when Trumpstoo won the EBF/UTS Maiden Stakes at Newcastle.

Appropriately ridden by his stable jockey Paul Hanagan, the 9-2 shot made all the running to hold the sustained challenge of 2-1 favourite Custody by a neck.

Fahey, speaking from Newmarket Sales, said: “It is great to get to the 100 and it reflects great credit on everyone connected with the yard – staff and owners alike.

“We have had a great year. To win over £1million for the third successive season was the overall highlight but this century is the icing on the cake.

“I am particularly pleased that Trumpstoo won because he is a first winner for his owner, Suzanne Hart.”

Hanagan, who has ridden 55 of the Fahey winners, added: “I am delighted for Richard, it is a great achievement by him and everyone in the yard to have kept the horses running well all season.”

Bryan Smart’s good run with his two-year-olds continued when Allformary, the 5-4 favourite, made all the running under Tom Eaves to win the Lumsden And Carroll/EBF Maiden Fillies’ Stakes.

She had two and a half lengths to spare over Drop The Hammer.

Her owner, Alan Crombie, said: “She is the first horse I have owned outright, but I had a share in Celestial Welcome, who was trained by Mary Reveley and won an Old Newton Cup (ridden by Carl Lowther in 1999) at Haydock.

“Allformary ran well first time out here, but she came up against a good one in Yorksters Girl.

“The ground was much more gluey this time and she has finished tired, so I don’t know if Bryan will run her again this season.”

Jenny Candlish had a welcome change of luck when Lap Of Honour (9-1) came out best under Jimmy Quinn in the Northumbrian Water Handicap.

She said: “When he came to me he was too high in the handicap for what he had done.

“We had the bit of luck we needed with the draw, but the key to him in the ground and we will have to run him again soon.”

Paul Fessey was suspended one day (October 28) for using his whip with excessive frequency on seventh-placed Avontuur.

Candlish’s team suffered a hefty reverse half an hour later, however, when her 2-9 favourite Princess Rainbow was beaten by Gay Kelleway’s 25-1 chance Ice Bellini in the Phil Bentley Is 40 Now Median Auction Maiden Stakes.

Kelleway said: “I am so pleased for her owners, the Jcs Partnership, because they also bred her.

“When she came to me she had only ever beaten two horses, but the visor and the step up in trip helped.

“I did not think she would beat the favourite, but I thought she would be second.”

Ross Smith, 19, gained his first success on only his second ride under Rules when bringing home the Linda Perratt-trained Prince Rhyddarch in the Gowland And Dawson Handicap for amateur riders.

Smith said: “I was with Mr (Ian) Semple for three years before Miss Perratt moved to the stables so I’ve been with the yard for three and a half years.”

Because of the ground conditions, the stalls had to be dispensed with for the Fastflow Pipeline Services Handicap.

A flip start was required in the 10-furlong contest, which was won by Ann Duffield’s Bavarian Nordic.

Soul City Primed For Guineas Run

The Parknasilla Hotel Goffs Million raceday at the Curragh on Sunday belonged solely to Richard Hannon who utterly dominated proceedings by winning both the colts and fillies races.

In the space of an hour and a half Hannon picked up in excess of two million euros in prize money which remarkably elevated him to third in the Irish trainers’ championship.

It has been an amazing year for Hannon’s juvenile team and the trainer certainly produced his raiding party in the form of their lives for their Curragh assignments.

After winning a French Group 3 last time out, Soul City looked one of the leading contenders for the colts Million and he duly justified his position as the market leader with a superb front-running performance that saw him fend off Gan Amhras by half a length. He could well win another good prize if turned out again this year and it wouldn’t come as any surprise to see him show up well in one of the three main Guineas next May.

The runner-up turned in a fine effort on just his third start and his first since winning a Naas maiden in July. He stayed on in very pleasing style over the final quarter of a mile and can be rated a good middle-distance prospect for Jim Bolger.

In the Fillies Million, Minor Vamp struck for the Hannon team as she defeated stablemate Baileys Cacao. Her victory was a further boost to Rainbow View who had her back in third when winning a Newmarket Group 3 in August. Minor Vamp, a daughter of the brilliant Hawk Wing, did very well to win from a potentially-costly outside draw. She can make her mark at Stakes level.

Among those that caught the eye behind her was the third-placed Samba School who hadn’t run since finishing down the field in a Curragh maiden in July. The Kevin Prendergast-trained inmate is an interesting prospect and it won’t come as any surprise to see her improve her handler’s already-excellent record with the progeny of Sahm.

Earlier on the card at the Curragh John Oxx’s Sea The Stars cemented his position as a juvenile of some promise with a half-length victory over stablemater Mourayan in the Beresford Stakes.

The half-brother to Galileo showed good improvement from his maiden win at Leopardstown to take this prize. Interestingly his trainer believes that he will be better on quicker ground and it is not hard to envisage the Cape Cross colt making sustained progress through the ranks next season.

While his victory earned Sea The Stars a flurry of quotes for the Epsom Derby Oxx did indicate that he could start out over a mile next spring. He is a bright prospect and it is worth noting the trainer’s last two winners of this race – Azamour and Alamshar – both made up into top-drawer three-year-olds. The likeable and very genuine Mourayan could yet put the form to the test in the Racing Post Trophy.

Also on the juvenile front David Wachman once again showed the strength of his hand in the juvenile fillies division as he sent out Chintz to record a clear cut success in the Group 3 C L Weld Park Stakes.

Off the track since July, the Danehill Dancer filly had her rivals in trouble when she struck the front around a quarter of a mile from home. She galloped on strongly to the line to account for the English raider and May Hill Stakes third Lahaleeb. Chintz has the makings of a fine middle-distance filly for 2009.

Dermot Weld landed the Irish Cesarewitch with the teak-tough three-year-old Suailce whose winning effort indicated that she could develop into quite a decent stayer next term while the Rosewell House trainer’s smart sprinter Le Cadre Noir won his first race since arriving in Ireland as he outpointed a field headed by Benbaun in the Testimonial Stakes.

Elsewhere Ger Lyons’ best-ever season continued apace as Pasar Silbano landed the 100,000 euro Goffs Sportsman’s Challenge.

While he had to settle for second and third in the Goffs (C&G) Million, Jim Bolger enjoyed an excellent Saturday at Gowran when he notched up a treble that was headed by the victory of Shreyas in the extended 1m 1f fillies Group 3.

A fine second to Unsung Heroine on her debut at Fairyhouse in July, the half-sister to Creachadoir and Youmzain was having just her fourth race in a very competitive renewal of this race and turned in a fine effort to see off She’s Our Mark an Soft Morning. She has the makings of quite a classy four-year-old.

Multiple champion National Hunt trainer Noel Meade reached a huge milestone on Saturday at Navan when he recorded the 2000th victory of his career as Rinroe landed the beginners’ chase.

Meade also unveiled quite a useful looking bumper horse in Donnas Palm who made short work of his rivals to make a winning debut. The third-placed Stakers caught the eye as he travelled through the race every bit as well as the winner. He could make his mark in this sphere before long.

Muhannak struck a blow for the English raider at Dundalk on Friday when he outpointed the consistent Mr Medici in the Listed Diamond Stakes while Paddy The Pro produced quite a taking effort to make short work of his rivals in the valuable six-furlong nursery. He can hold his own in better company.

Stars Shines Brightly In Beresford

Sea The Stars (7-4) came out on top in a closely-fought renewal of the Juddmonte Beresford Stakes at the Curragh.

Trainer John Oxx, who won this race in 2002 and 2003 with the brilliant pair Alamshar and Azamour, also saddled another leading contender in Mourayan.

But jockey Mick Kinane picked the right one and exuded confidence aboard Sea The Stars.

The half-brother to Galileo took a little while to assert himself once hitting the front, but was in command in the final furlong and had half a length in reserve of Mourayan for a stable one-two.

Bookmakers had mixed reactions on the winner for next year’s Derby. He is 12-1 from 20s with Paddy Power, now 14-1 with William Hill – but only 20s with VC Bet.

Oxx said: “The ground is probably a bit dead for him and we are still not quite sure what his trip is – despite the fact he is a half-brother to Galileo and out of an Arc winner.

“The spring will tell us more, but he will have a Guineas entry.”

Sixties Icon Lands Lodge Spoils

Sixties Icon followers had a brief moment of panic as the 11-10 favourite missed the break and lost half a dozen lengths in the Grosvenor Casinos Cumberland Lodge Stakes – but it made very little difference.

Jeremy Noseda’s 2006 St Leger winner and solid Group performer was quickly back into contention under Frankie Dettori as Sugar Ray took the small field along at a sedate pace.

When Dettori pushed the button, luck was on his side as a perfect gap opened and he pulled readily away to win by two and a quarter lengths.

Dettori said: “He’s never done this (missed the break) before, but he’s an old horse and is quite clever about the game.

“He eventually came out (of the stalls) and it was a good effort because he was giving five lengths and 3lb to the field.

“He won it decisively, but for a split-second I was worried.

“He showed a tremendous turn of foot and there’s a ticket open for America now.”

Owner Paul Roy added: “Jeremy is keen to go to the Breeders’ Cup and he’ll then have one more run in either Hong Kong or Singapore, after which he will be retired.

“I have almost completed a deal on his stud career.”

Raven’s Pass finally got the big win

Raven’s Pass (3-1) finally got the big win his efforts deserved as he outfought long-time nemesis Henrythenavigator in a thrilling renewal of the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.

Aidan O’Brien’s dual 2000 Guineas winner had beaten John Gosden’s charge three times, but Raven’s Pass got much closer in the Sussex Stakes at Goodwood and clearly improved again, winning by a length. French mare Sabana Perdida took third.

“The jockey and trainer have finally got it right!” exclaimed Gosden.

“It is not bad being in front of that good horse for a change, and he had to come and get us. It was nice to track Tamayuz and it was great to finish ahead of Henrythenavigator.

“It all went wrong in the Guineas from the draw but he ran a blinder in the St James’s Palace. We knew this time we would be a little handier, that was the only plan – be handier.

“The plan now is to go to the Breeders’ Cup and he could run in the Mile or the Classic. He sees his races out well now and physically he has done very well.

“If the Mile was run somewhere like Belmont with one turn it would be fine, but it is a two-turn mile at Santa Anita and you can get done by the draw so on that basis we will entertain running in the Classic.”

Jockey Jimmy Fortune added: “Earlier on in the year he was a bit hot and we needed to get him relaxed. I probably got it wrong in the Sussex, I should have kicked a little earlier but we always thought he would pull up when he got there.

“I was trying to sit and sit, but I sensed Johnny (Murtagh on Henrythenavigator) on my quarters and I knew it was time to kick then. He really stuck his neck out.”

Gift Nails Sales Thriller

Luck finally favoured Richard Hannon’s Penny’s Gift as she avoided trouble in running to come through under Richard Hughes and grab top honours in the £250,000 Watership Down Stud Sales Race.

The Hannon yard have produced a steady stream of juvenile winners through the year, and Penny’s Gift is undoubtedly towards the top of the tree with her second-place finishes in the Albany and Lowther.

Sandwiched in between those runs she suffered a nightmare passage in the Weatherbys Super Sprint, but there were no hard-luck stories this time as the 15-8 favourite scrambled across the line a neck and a head clear of Rosy Mantle Golden Destiny.

Hughes said: “Richard said my 1lb overweight almost cost us the race, but I said I wouldn’t have won without it and the extra strength!

“She has ran well all year but I think she was a little flat today. She is better than that and should have won easier.”

Hannon added: “The two-year-old’s have been good all year but this filly is something different.

“She is in the Cheveley Park and we might well go down that route.”