Fahey Following A Winning Formula

Having perhaps Europe's best miler in the yard does not mean the day job can be neglected. For Richard Fahey, trainer of Godolphin's scintillating G1 Lockinge S. hero Ribchester (Ire) (Iffraaj {GB}), that means the pursuit of winners in all shapes and sizes.

They have come thick and fast once again in 2017, with 76 at the time of writing. Musley Bank in Malton has been the most prolific stable in Britain for the last two years, beyond even the numbers of Richard Hannon and Mark Johnston, and a record total of 235 victories in 2015 propelled its general to second behind John Gosden in the trainers' standings.

“I'd say we'd probably be in front of usual, winners-wise, although I couldn't be absolutely sure,” said Fahey. “We're not complaining although greed is good; we always want more.”

The juveniles have once again hit the ground running, but with a slight change in tack. The likes of Godolphin, Al Shaqab and Cheveley Park might now be among the patrons, but the bulk of owners are still syndicates and smaller owners.

“We sort of made a point of buying some maiden auction horses this time,” Fahey explained. “We ran about 15 of them and the first 12 won.”

Fahey continued, “We found last year that we didn't have anything for those races. With the new system coming out with the 2-year-olds, there are a lot of median and maiden auctions. You get lower penalties if they win so it just gives us more opportunities to win more races with them.”

“To be honest we buy most of them ourselves–me, Robin O'Ryan [assistant] and Mouse O'Ryan [bloodstock agent],” he added. “It's just a value type of thing, we're looking for something we could race at the right price. People don't realise that sometimes you need some cheaper horses there to run in those races, and they're probably less competitive than the normal maidens.”

One stallion Fahey knows better than anyone is Mayson (GB), who he produced to win the 2012 July Cup. The Cheveley Park stallion's second crop are already delivering.

“Zap (GB) [third in the Woodcote S.] is a good colt and Cheveley Park sent us a couple of nice fillies by him this year,” he said. “Dance Diva (GB) won at Redcar, she's still a little bit backward and I'm not sure she'd be an Ascot type of filly. Mayson is a good sire, they're easy to train, tough and hardy. He's definitely going to make it.”

He also tried in vain for the first crop of the seemingly en-vogue Camelot (GB).

“We were keen on them but I couldn't afford them.” Fahey said. “They were too much for me. They looked quality type horses but they made quality prices. I've only got one, funnily enough I gave 10 grand for him and he's quite a nice horse.

“We bought some Lethal Forces (Ire), they just seem to be taking a bit of time but he did so himself,” Fahey continued. “Red Jazz looks alright as a stallion, and Jedi Master (Ire) won two in two days for us. To be honest, though, of the better 2-year-olds, we've got a couple of nice Kyllachys (GB) and a couple by Bahamian Bounty (GB). People can't forget those proven sires but they go for the newer sires that cost twice as much. There's quite a nice Kyllachy called It Dont Come Easy (Ire), who won at Musselburgh. He's definitely Royal Ascot quality, it's just whether we'll go there. He's a proper horse.”

Managing such an operation takes more than just the efforts of the 51-year-old former jump jockey.

“We wouldn't have 200 but we've plenty to run” he said. “I'm very lucky, we've a great team from the lads that muck out to the assistant and the girls in the office. It's all one team.”

One important member is Fahey's recently-married son Peter, who clearly shares the work ethic.

“I don't know what he is,” the trainer laughed. “He's got his [HGV] operators' licence and he does everything so he can call himself whatever he wants. He just had his first season training pointers, one won and then he won the point-to-point bumper at Aintree [with Station Master (Ire) (Scorpion {Ire}]. My eldest daughter comes in once a week and he'd be the only other one old enough to be really interested in it.”

Fahey has a few more days to comb over the juveniles for the Royal meeting, but one spot in the boxes down to Berkshire has already been reserved.

Ribchester looks like being a warm favourite for the G1 Queen Anne S., having taken the G3 Jersey S. there 12 months ago.

“We're over the moon with Ribchester, everything has been easy with him,” he said. “He's a good horse to train, he's settled right into our routine, does his work well and enjoys it. He had a tough enough race at Newbury and I wanted to give him an easy week but he wouldn't let me. He loves going out to work in the mornings and is so well in himself, which is good. He bounces back–he's a rubber ball, a tough horse.”

Fahey made a rare admission of feeling pressure before the Lockinge and at least it should be eased by the Queen Anne being the first event of the whole festival.

“I don't normally do nerves, but I'm privileged to have him,” he said. “It sounds silly but when you've got a horse as talented as that you just hope he performs. It's not exactly nerves from worrying, you just want him to do it. As we know with horses, they can have off days, and you just hope that on the big day the good one doesn't. I'd say anybody would be delighted to have him. We don't treat him any different–we can't. He does more or less the same work as everything else, he just does it better.”

Of other likely Royal Ascot candidates, Fahey added, “We've got a couple in the Wokingham, a couple in the Hunt Cup, maybe one in the Sandringham. Queen Kindly (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is in the [G1] King's Stand and the [G1] Commonwealth Cup. We'll see how she goes, the Commonwealth is a good race this year; there could be three champions in it. We've got Growl (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) in the [G1] Diamond Jubilee, one or two in the Britannia but nothing for the staying races; I need some staying horses. There'll be lots without the 2-year-olds.”