RICHARD Fahey has been in wonderful form and there were six more winners last Saturday, the highlight being the unbeaten Don’t Touch’s success in the William Hill Ayr Gold Cup.

The trainer had already supplied the winner and second in the Silver Cup consolation as 18/1 chance Tatlisu just held George Bowen.

Unraced at two, Don’t Touch has now won five off the reel at three. He was made 6/1 favourite and led a furlong out before galloping on strongly to hold 50/1 outsider Poyle Vinnie by half a length, with Ninjago and Toofi only a head and the same behind.

It remains to be seen whether Don’t Touch is the listed or group-class horse that many predict but, as regular rider Tony Hamilton pointed out, he is still learning and actually won this more comfortably than the Great St Wilfrid at Ripon.

Fahey, sending out winners at three meetings, was full of praise for the son of Dutch Art but will not be tempted to run him again this season.

“He’s a proper horse and so laid back you wouldn’t believe it,” he said. “To do what he’s done in his first season is a bit special. He’s done his bit now and we’ll kick on again with him next season.”

The jockeys wanted to come down the centre and those drawn high had plenty of work to do.

TOO TOUGH

Although unconsidered in the Gold Cup, Poyle Vinnie ran a blinder and was a remarkably generous price for a horse dropping down from listed company. Interestingly, he beat Tatlisu quite convincingly in a good handicap sprint at Hamilton in July when receiving 4lb.

Tatlisu missed the cut by two but claimed the William Hill Silver Cup instead.

Starting at 18/1, he led inside the final furlong for Jack Garritty and held his hat-trick seeking stable-companion George Bowen by a head. In the closing stages it looked as if the runner-up must surely go past but it never quite happened. Garritty’s 5lb claim, together with George Bowen’s penalty for winning at the Curragh, were the decisive factors.

It was galling for those who made the second 9/2 favourite but such is the nature of valuable sprint handicaps.

Hillbilly Boy could not quite hold on after hitting the front, while old Barnet Fair did well to make fourth.

Shared Equity finished close up after using his speed too early. There may still be a good handicap in him over an extra furlong.

ANOTHER TOUCH

Fahey and Hamilton had made the perfect start when 13/2 chance Another Touch repelled Robinnielly in the opening nursery.

Another Touch and Don’t Touch are both owned by Nicholas Wrigley and Kevin Hart, as is Right Touch who landed the seven-furlong handicap at 5/1 for Garritty later on.

If Innocent Touch, their only other horse with Fahey, had won the mile and five furlong handicap, William Hill would have faced a major-pay-out but he finished unplaced behind Michael Dods’ 50/1 shot Hardstone after closing in to 3/1 favourite.

“It was Kevin Hart’s idea to run them all and it’s been a fantastic day for them; it’s unbelievable,” Fahey smiled. The stable six-timer - 13/8 favourite Ribchester winning the Mill Reef at Newbury and Awohaam, 8/1, chipping in at Catterick - came to 141,395/1.