Trainer Peter Fahey is confident that ground conditions will play into the hands of Peregrine Run, who is aiming to become the first Irish-trained winner of the £55,000 Grade Three Unibet Summer Plate at Market Rasen on Saturday.
The 12-year-old has been a fantastic servant to the yard over the years, winning 18 races across all three codes, with his CV including two victories at Grade Three level over fences at Killarney and a Grade Two victory at Cheltenham as a novice hurdler back in 2016.
With the current dry conditions in Britain, Fahey feels that his veteran campaigner will arrive in Lincolnshire with every chance at the weekend. He is a 16-1 hope with sponsor Unibet for the race, which takes place over an extended two miles and five furlongs.
The Co Kildare-based handler said: “Peregrine Run came out of his last race at Cartmel very well and it looks like he’s going to have good ground at the weekend. He is in great form and we are looking forward to running him.
“His two runs this season were good ones in two competitive races and the ground went completely against us at Cartmel. In my opinion, it cost us a good bit. We weren’t beaten a long way in the end and I feel we could definitely have been a lot closer if the rain hadn’t have come just before racing.
“He’s hugely ground dependent so hopefully the weather is right. The better the ground, the better for him.
“There are not many horses who have won 18 races and he has won under all of the codes - he’s won on the Flat, over hurdles and over fences – and he has won Graded races over hurdles and fences.
“He’s a lovely horse and he has been a huge horse for the yard. My wife rides him out and does all the work on him and Paul who leads him up both love him and everyone follows him. It’s great that he’s still enjoying it as he has still got as much enthusiasm as he did as a five year old.”
Fahey has had one runner at Market Rasen before in 2016 and he revealed that he was looking forward to coming over for Unibet Summer Plate Ladies Day, which always attracts a fantastic crowd.
He said: “I’ve had one runner before at Market Rasen seven years ago with a mare called Queen Alphabet, who was placed in a Listed race there. It’s a lovely track and there’s always a good atmosphere so we’re looking forward to coming over. A few of the owners are joining me too so it should make for a good day out.
“It’s a fantastic race but in fairness it’s great prize money, so it’s always going to attract a nicer calibre of horse. It’s a good and prestigious race and I’d give anything to win it, we should definitely be in the shake-up.
“Travelling isn’t a problem to him at all, we just said this year that we’d campaign him a little bit more over in the UK because there’s some nice prize money in the summer and a good chance of getting his ground.
“He’ll arrive over there Thursday evening, we’ll have a look at the weights today to see if we bring a horse over for the hurdle race as well (Hisnameis Mrdevitt).”