PETER Fahey has enjoyed a fine year and is looking forward to the both the National Hunt and winter flat seasons with a very nice bunch of horses.
“It is very competitive over here at the minute, but we work hard trying to source the best horses that we can,” Fahey explains. “We have great owners and staff and they are the backbone of the place – without them it would be a struggle.”
The unbeaten Gallahers Cross, hugely impressive in a good bumper at Galway last month, was put up for sale at Cheltenham yesterday evening. Fahey hopes to hold on to the Getaway gelding if he does attain a new owner but if he has to leave the yard the Kildare trainer still has plenty to look forward to.
Fahey enjoyed his first winner at Cheltenham last year courtesy of the classy Peregrine Run, and the seven-year-old novice chaser is backed up by the likes of Vocarium, Mine Now and Bay Of Freedom who all look like horses to follow for this season.
“We have all the facilities that we need at home. Roger Loughran, Kevin Sexton and Ronan Shortt do a great job with the horses and lads like them are invaluable to a yard likes ours.”
A website is in the pipeline and Fahey added: “I’ll get that up and running hopefully after Christmas. Social media appears to be the way to go. I am not on it at the minute, but sure you’d be as well to be on it than not.”
ALTON BAY
9yo b g (NH: 411/5/4-UP, F: 944905-4258)
Puskin – Miss Chapman
Anthony Coyne
He has been a bit disappointing this year, but the ability appears to be there and we might head to the all-weather in England for a flat race before we send him back over hurdles. He has a high enough mark over hurdles at the minute, but he has been a good servant and his owners have been very patient with him. Hopefully he might run into a bit of form on the flat before which would bode well for going back over hurdles.
BATHIVA
4yo g (unraced)
Spanish Moon – Thithia
Jeremy Maxwell
He is a fine horse that goes well at home and there is a chance that he might go for a point-to-point in the spring with a view to possibly sending him to a sale at some stage. He is a gorgeous, big horse with loads of scope and we like him.
BAY OF FREEDOM
8yo b g (36P114P-433)
Heron Island – Kate Gale
Paul Leech
He has developed into a very good horse for us and he ran a cracker when third in the Kerry National. He won’t run too often but he is a horse that is made for all those big staying chases and the plan is that he’ll go straight to Leopardstown at Christmas for the Paddy Power Chase and the long term aim for him is the Midlands National at Uttoxeter.
He does stay very well and he loves soft ground. He is hard on himself but as long as you mind him and keep him fresh, he should be competitive in the good staying chases. Horses like him are hard to find and hopefully he’ll pick up a good handicap over the winter.
CARLITOS BAY
6yo b g (668P0-5306149)
Definite Article - Avitta
Seven To Eleven Syndicate
He came to us earlier this year after Sandra (Hughes) handed in her licence and he is a nice addition to the team.
He won well for us over hurdles at Cork in August and he is a grand horse that might not handle real winter ground. We might get him started over fences and you’d like to think that he might make into a nice handicapper when the ground dries out a bit in the spring. He jumps fences well.
COLDAMOUR
4yo b f (13-6)
Azamour – Col De Voza
Pat McCarthy
She won her bumper very well at Thurles and she is a filly we like. She picked up blacktype when she was third to Debuchet in a listed bumper at Limerick and she has since run very well in what was a decent maiden hurdle at Punchestown.
She will run away over hurdles, but you only have to look at the maiden hurdles last weekend – they are just so hard to win at this time of the season. She is a filly with a nice future ahead of her and we’ll try and win a mares’ maiden hurdle with her and take it from there.
DARCELLYEANN
5yo b m (0-U088)
Yeats – Clonloo Lady
Gerry O’Dowd
She has struggled a little on her first five starts but I think she’ll be competitive in her own grade in handicaps. She has a lovely page and is closely related to Grade 1 winner Mariah Rollins. It would be great to get a winning bracket for her as her owner will eventually breed from her.
GONE GALAVANTING
4yo f (unraced)
Oscar – Babygotback
Pigsnporter Syndicate
She is a lovely filly and the more I do with her, the more I like her. She is pretty forward and I think she’ll be ready to start off in a bumper around Christmas time. I think she’ll handle soft ground and the way she works at home suggests she should be competitive in a mares bumper.
HAVELOCK
3yo ch g (22-432278800)
Helmet – Pearl Grey
Festival Dreamers Syndicate
We bought him out of Mark Johnson’s earlier this year and he was working well before we ran him at Galway, but looking back, it may all have been a bit of a rush to get him there.
He is better than that run would suggest and we’re going to start him off over hurdles today at Punchestown (12:05). It wouldn’t be a huge surprise if he ran well and I think he’ll make into a nice dual-purpose horse next year.
HIGH KICKER
6yo b m (24/27553442)
High Chaparral – Dangle
Mrs B Howard
She was due to run at Dundalk last night and hopefully she’ll win one up there over the winter. She rarely ever runs a bad race and we might look to send her over hurdles when the ground dries out next spring.
JENNIECHIELD
4yo b f (3284-0426)
Tagula – Belle Child
Lucy Lynch
She won a Curragh maiden as a two-year-old but things haven’t gone her way since. There a few races for her at Dundalk and I think she now races off a nice mark. I think we’ll have loads of fun with her over the winter.
IDIDITMYWAY
4yo b g (5)
Westerner – Chaparral Lady
Michael Moore
He ran a nice race in what looked a very good bumper at Galway last month and he’ll be left off as he won’t handle this winter ground. He will be all the better for a break and I can see him being competitive in a bumper next spring and then we’ll crack on over hurdles with him.
MADERA EXPRESS
4yo f (unraced)
Milan – Squeekaussie
Noel Doyle
She has plenty done and the plan is to start her off in a point-to-point in the next two weeks. She does everything right and I think she’ll be good enough for the track.
MINE NOW
9yo b g (270210-4228)
Heron Island – Aisjem
Enda Monaghan
He was only just touched off in the valuable two and a half-mile handicap hurdle on the Saturday at Galway and he has been a right little horse for us. He’ll go to Leopardstown at Christmas for a nice race up there and there is a valuable handicap for him at the Dublin Racing Festival as well. Those good spring festivals are there for him after that and he seems to handle most types of ground. He tries his heart out and you’d love more horses like him.
MIZZ MONROE
4yo b f (9)
Flemensfirth – Top Quality
Bernadettle Leigh
We started her off in a listed bumper at Gowran Park and she ran well that day. I think a bit of her. There is a good chance that she’ll go for a maiden hurdle soon and depending on how that goes, we might run her in another bumper at around Christmas time.
MOUNTAIN SAM
3yo g (unraced)
Black Sam Bellamy - Kansas City
Padriag Ryan
He is a gorgeous horse which will more than likely go the point-to-point route. He will be for sale in the spring and I think he’ll be very competitive in a point-to-point as he works like a good horse at home.
O CEALLAIGH
8yo b g (71/PF243324-7)
Westerner – Hirayna
Pat McCarthy
He has yet to get his head in front over fences but he has bumped into some very good horses and those beginners and novice chases are so hard to win. He has been beaten by proper Grade 1 horses and because of that, he has a high enough mark now, which isn’t ideal. However we’ll go handicap chasing with him and hopefully he’ll win a couple of races for us. He has plenty of ability.
PEREGRINE RUN
8yo b g (11130-21131)
Kings Theatre – Masriyna’s Article
Vinny Byrne
He has been a star for us. He won at Cheltenham this time last year and he has done very well over fences during the summer, winning three times. It was always the intention to give him a mid-season break and he is back working away now. We’ll aim at something nice at Leopardstown at Christmas time. All the big spring festivals are on the agenda for him again this season, but he must have good ground and he won’t run anywhere unless he has his conditions. The form of his runs over fences has worked out well and he has never let us down and has taken us everywhere.
RIVE NORMANDE
4yo b f (000980)
Soldier Of Fortune – Classic Angel
Bogmen Syndicate
She has a mark that I think is okay and we’ll get her going again in a handicap at Dundalk and hopefully she’ll have her day up there.
ROJA DOVE
8yo b m (355386-73441)
Jeremy – Knight’s Palace
First Time Twenty Six Syndicate
She wasn’t expensive when we got her at the sales a few weeks ago and she won first time out for us at Fairyhouse. She is leased to a great group of lads who had no luck with a few horses but, in fairness to them, they stuck at it and she was their first winner. It was great for them and she is a grand mare that should pay her way in her own grade.
ROOM TO ROAM
3yo b g (33441-625427)
Fast Company – Lady’s Locket
Adders Syndicate
We bought him at Goffs out of Ger Lyons’ yard there a few weeks ago and I like him. There is a nice race for him at Dundalk next month and then we’ll get him going over hurdles. He jumps great and he will hopefully develop into a nice dual-purpose horse.
ROYAL BLESSING
5yo b g (5560300-317)
Royal Applause – Zuleika Dobson
Mad Hatters On Town Syndicate
He gave the lads a great day/night when he won at Wolverhampton and it will be more of the same this year. They know how to celebrate and this lad should be able to win again in his own grade.
SMALL WORLD
6yo b g (04351216)
Shantou – Bodhran Davis
Three Locks Syndicate
He disappointed us the last day and he can’t operate on real heavy winter ground so we’ll put him away with a view to having him back for the spring. He has won two for us already this season and there is no reason to believe that he won’t win more races next year.
THE BIG DOG
4yo b g (2F)
Mahler – Saddlers Leader
Damien Kelly
He is only here a week and he comes highly recommended. He was going well when he fell the last day at Loughbrickland and before that was second in the spring in what looked a good race at Monksgrange. He’ll be aimed at a two and a half-mile maiden hurdle at Leopardstown.
THEATRE WORLD
5yo b g (9)
King’s Theatre – Lively Lass
Downtown Syndicate
He has had just the one run for his owner John Monroe and I think he could make into a smart horse. He’ll go for a bumper reasonably soon and his work has been good. I think he’ll be competitive in a bumper.
VOCARIUM
4yo b g (1-22)
Poet’s Voice – Vituisa
Siobhan and Anthony Callan
He is a smart horse that has some very good bumper form. He runs in a listed bumper at Cheltenham tomorrow and we’ll see how he gets on. All the spring festivals could come into the equation for him, depending on how he runs. He is well above average but he won’t run over hurdles until next season He is improving all the time and we’ll learn a bit more about him tomorrow. I think he’ll make into a very good hurdler/chaser in time.
TWO-YEAR-OLDS
CANFORD ART
2yo f
Canford Cliffs – Saldenart
She is a nice filly owned by a great group of lads and I hope to get her started in a maiden at Dundalk around Christmas time. There are no easy touches up there, but she shows a nice bit at home and she will come on a good bit for her first run.
DANCING LADY
2yo f
Sepoy – Lady Slippers
Anthony Rogers
She is nearly ready to start off and I’d say she will go for a maiden at Dundalk this side of Christmas. She is still a bit immature, but I can see her making into a nice filly next year.
DELLAXOS
2yo g
Axxos – Myralienne
Tim O’Driscoll
He is half-brother to Bajmak, which won a bumper for us last year, and I think this lad could be a bit better than him. He has loads of ability and we plan to start him off on the flat next year and he’ll go jumping around this time next year. I think he could be above average.
UNNAMED
2yo c Elusive Pimpernel – Love Knot (Tim O’Driscoll)
He is a gorgeous horse that has just taken a bit of time and we’ll have him ready to start on the flat early next year. His work has been very solid and he has just been a bit immature, but he goes very well.
3yo g Getaway – Echo Creek (Winning Ways Syndicate)
He was bought at the Land Rover Sale and I am delighted with him. He goes well and he’ll be ready to start off in a bumper early in the New Year and his aim will be the Land Rover Bumper in the spring.
3yo g Gold Well – Squeekaussie (Noel Doyle)
He is showing me plenty at home and he should be ready to start off in a point-to-point in the spring and he might be for sale at some stage. He goes well.
3yo f Presenting – Golden Sunbird (Winning Ways Syndicate)
She is a gorgeous filly that goes well and we’ll have her ready to start off in a bumper in the spring.
3yo f Westerner – Wing It Lady (Paul Howard)
She does everything right at home and she will go for a point-to-point or a bumper after Christmas.