Richard Fahey looks ahead to Sandiva's bid for Classic glory
Last Updated: 03/05/14 10:35pm
Richard Fahey looks ahead to Sandiva's bid for Classic glory in Sunday's QIPCO 1000 Guineas.
I’m really looking forward to running Sandiva in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas on Sunday.
She’s drawn in nine, and while you can win from anywhere on this track, it is good to be in among them from the start. That wasn’t the case in the Nell Gwyn and I’m much happier with the draw this time around.
It looks a very open race for a Classic and I’m not particularly scared of the ones that have had a run this season, the supposed better ones are all heading straight to Newmarket this year. There are very positive reports of favourite Rizeena but I’m delighted to have got a run into Sandiva.
It’s done her the world of good. I’m confident she’s progressed mentally from her reappearance; it’s taken the freshness out of her. She’s much more mentally switched off now which is a help. I can’t say she’s taken a huge leap forward physically because we haven’t done much with her since the Nell Gwyn. There have been no ‘wonder gallops’ or anything but she’s on great terms with herself.
I’m confident she’ll stay the mile. Her pedigree says she will and so does her general demeanour. We wanted to take the freshness out of her at the last meeting and that’s done the trick so I honestly couldn’t be happier.
Frankie Dettori was very sweet on her after her win the last day. I know he likes Sandiva – and so do I. It’s great to have a runner in the QIPCO 1000 Guineas and I hope she’ll run well.
My other runner at Newmarket on Sunday is Alben Star in the Havana Gold At Tweenhills Handicap. I was delighted to see him win on the big Good Friday card at Lingfield – but went mad with the handicapper when he raised his turf mark six pounds off the back of it.
He has never run to 103 in his life and don’t see why he should start now – but I hope the assessor is right and I have to call him to apologise next week. The horse is in great, great form – but I wish he was rated 97 still.