Richard Fahey expresses his frustration over the timing of Chelmsford being cancelled before going through his Easter team for Newcastle and Musselburgh.
We normally have a few more runners for Musselburgh’s Easter meeting but we’ve only a couple on Saturday.
I think it’s a mixture of Easter being early and the prominence of the all-weather cards – we’ve two running on Good Friday at Newcastle, too, and we had three due to run at Chelmsford which was unfortunately cancelled.
I have to say I completely agree with the trainers who have come out and blasted the timing of the announcement on Wednesday. The BHA announced that Chelmsford’s cards would not be going ahead just after midday – they rang us at 12.07 – an hour after we made the declarations for the Good Friday card.
It’s the timing that makes it so infuriating. We could have made alternative entries for those Chelmsford horses and we’ve spent money on getting them ready – who is going to recompense me that?
The BHA should’ve been on it and recognised the huge significance of calling it off just after midday. They just don’t seem to get the repercussions.
Jockeys, owners, staff are all affected. If they knew there was any doubt whatsoever it should’ve been sorted out the day before, not minutes after the final declarations were made.
Good Friday runners
ZIGGY’S QUEEN – 14.25 Newcastle
She’s always been a keen filly and it took her a couple of years to settle down and relax. We put the hood on her the other day and that helped her relax, while the step up to seven furlongs seemed to help her, as well. She needs to go again but she’s very fit and very well and we’re happy with her. I just hope they don’t dawdle here, a good honest pace will help her. It’s nice to be in with a chance with the money on offer.
BRAGBOR – 16.10 Newcastle
We're pleased with him. We were lucky that when we got him he only needed a couple of runs to qualify so we got those into him and gave him a bit of a break. He’s very fit and well, whether it’s good enough we’ll see. He’ll need to step up on what he’s shown so far but he could do, it’s a £175,000 handicap so we’re very willing to give it a go. Everything is in place for him; trip and track and well being, it’s just whether he is good enough. It was always the plan to get him qualified and give him a break. So far everything has gone well.
Saturday runners
GOLDEN MIND – 13.55 Musselburgh
He looks high enough in the weights off a handicap mark of 102, but seven furlongs around Musselburgh should suit him. I have my doubts he can win off his current rating, but he’s fit and well and had a run the other day. That will have blown the cobwebs away so I’ll be interested to see how he gets on.
VINTAGE CLARETS – 15.42 Musselburgh
I think he runs in this race every year. He usually takes a couple of runs to come good and now he’s getting a bit older he probably needs to come down a few pounds. It’s a competitive race so he really needs to be right on his A-game. The positives are he’s already had a run and he’s been second in this race before, so we’re happy to let him take his chance for a good pot.
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