Friday 6 November 2015 12:43, UK
Leading trainer Richard Fahey reflects on another remarkable season and looks ahead to the weekend's action in his final column of the year.
As this is my final column of the year it's the time to reflect on what's been a fantastic season for all at Musley Bank. In fact it's only just beginning to sink in what a great year it has been.
I think last Saturday was our first without a winner all season - and there have been some super Saturdays along the way. I've always wanted to win a Cambridgeshire and we did that with Third Time Lucky.
The Ayr Gold Cup is one of my favourite races and to win it again with Don't Touch was wonderful. There have been Group-race victories along the way too - including one for Godolphin - and they were fantastic. In fact the whole year has been.
We've five or six two-year-olds rated over 100 to go to war with next season and an awful lot of the juvenile team stay in training next year. Add in the yearlings we've managed to get at the sales and those that have been sent here from the owners' studs and there's an awful lot to look forward to.
I know I've said it before but it really is a team effort here. We have a great system in place and great people working for us. They're a happy team too - and happy workers make for happy horses.
They're the reason why we've had such a memorable year - and the reason why we'll go out to try and do even better in 2016.
But before then here's the rundown of our final Saturday team this season.
Full Of Promise runs in division one of the Betfred Mobile Cock O'The North EBF Maiden Stakes. I was a fraction disappointed with her debut run at Brighton as I thought she'd run a big race. She's a backward filly and conditions will be quite soft here on Saturday. Kyllachy's tend to go on it which offers hope. She needs to improve and the draw could have been kinder but there's more to come from her.
Abu Khadra makes his debut in the second division. He has a monster of a pedigree being by Oasis Dream out of Flashy Wings but is a big, backward sort. It's all about next year for him and whatever he does here will be a bonus. I spoke to Jaber Abdullah and we're keen to get a run into him as he's a horse we like for 2016.
I was a little disappointed with In My Place at Ayr the last day as I thought he'd nearly go there and win. He wasn't beaten far for all that and while he needs to improve in the Betfred 'Racing's Biggest Supporter' Nursery I think he's capable of doing so.
We've three in the Betfred Good Luck Hayley Turner Handicap. Farlow has the ability to run a big race but needs things to fall right for him under top weight.
I was a bit disappointed with Majestic Myles at Lingfield last time. Perhaps the straight seven here will suit him better and he's capable of being competitive off this mark.
Withernsea just needs some luck. He has had none all year and I honestly think he's the unluckiest horse I've ever trained. He's another weighted to run a big race and he'll love the ground. I just hope, for once, things fall his way.
We're also double handed in the Betfred TV EBF Stallions Breeding Winners Gillies Fillies' Stakes where in all honesty we're trying to nick a bit of Black Type with both Latenightrequest and Imshivalla.
The former took an age to come to herself this year but ran a little better at Catterick last time and looks to be finally getting there. She needs to improve as does Imshivalla who has had a good season again.
Khelman will love the ground and is a horse that has good days and bad days. He's pretty decent when on song - and fairly ordinary when not - so I hope he's in top form in the Betfred 'Supports Jack Berry House' Apprentice Handicap.
We also run Beardwood who I thought ran well at Catterick where I wasn't sure the track would suit him. I just wanted to get another race into him and this will be more his forte. Ground and track are ideal and I hope he runs well.
Our final runner of the day is Spirit Of Zeb in the Zoe Napier Country & Equestrian Handicap at Chelmsford. He's drawn wider than ideal although I'm still trying to work this track out. He was another to disappoint last time when he travelled well only to flatten out a little. I hope the better ground here will help him.
