Richard Fahey spins through his Saturday team at Newmarket and Ripon while confirming Perfect Power is on track for the Prix Morny in France.
We’ve a fairly quiet weekend ahead of York next week with seven runners representing Musley Bank at Newmarket and Ripon.
Fingers crossed we’ll have a winner at the Ebor Festival, it’s very much a home fixture we target, but with great prizemoney on offer it’s obviously very competitive.
One horse who won’t be winning at York is Perfect Power. If I run anything in the Gimcrack it will be Vintage Clarets, but Perfect Power remains firmly on track for the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville on August 22.
He’s come out of Goodwood well and just needs a bit of luck. We’re looking forward to taking him over to France.
Saturday Team
Newmarket 2.35 – GEORGE BOWEN, BRIAN THE SNAIL
We’ve got two in the MansionBet Beaten By A Head Grey Horse Handicap.
GEORGE BOWEN is a little bit out of sorts at the moment, but this is a valuable race and a good spot for him. He’s dropped down the handicap but he might be a back number now he’s nine. The ground and track should suit him.
BRIAN THE SNAIL is similar in that he also seems to have lost his form a little. I was encouraged by his run at Pontefract the other day and on his very best form he’s well treated, but he’s not an easy horse to predict.
Ripon 2.40 – TO EVEREST
This son of Distorted Humor is a newcomer in the William Hill Ripon Hornblower Conditions Stakes.
He’s not EBF-qualified I’m afraid, so this is the only race I can run him in other than a Listed or a Group race, so he’s taking on some good horses on debut.
He is a nice colt, we do like him, but it’s just frustrating we have to give him such a hard task on debut.
Ripon 3.10 – GABRIAL THE DEVIL, COOPERARTION
We run a couple in the consolation race for the Great St Wilfrid, the William Hill Silver Trophy.
GABRIAL THE DEVIL has been running alright to be fair to him. He’s tried every trip, he won over five furlongs a couple of starts ago and ran over seven and a half last time. This could be ideal and it would be no shock if he ran well, but it’s a competitive race.
COOPERATION was a little disappointing last time out at Doncaster, I don’t know why, he just never raised a gallop. All he wanted to do was hang, but there’s nothing wrong with him, he’s fine, so hopefully the return to Ripon will help. He won there nicely earlier last month.
Ripon 3.45 – MR LUPTON
In the William Hill Great St Wilfrid Handicap we run MR LUPTON.
It’s not easy for him off a mark of 103, but he’s in good order. He’s run well at Ripon before and the last time he was rated under 100 was in this race last year where he wasn’t beaten far in third off 98.
It was a good performance at York earlier in the season when he won, but he’s struggled since then. I just fear he’s a little too high in the weights.
