eToro Racing in ninth place in the Racing League table, 23 points behind leaders Racehorse Lotto, after two rounds; Richard Fahey sends five of their six runners to Lingfield for week three; watch live on Sky Sports Racing on Thursday from 5pm
Wednesday 11 August 2021 13:21, UK
Richard Fahey is hoping for a bolder showing from his five Lingfield runners as eToro Racing look to climb the Racing League table in week three.
eToro, represented by Fahey and fellow trainer Tim Easterby, are down in ninth place, 23 points behind leaders Racehorse Lotto, after a disappointing evening at Doncaster last week.
Easterby's Copper Knight picked up 18 points for finishing second in the opening race, but the team were unable to get closer than fifth in the remaining five races and slipped down the leaderboard as others picked up valuable scores.
Fahey sends five of their six runners to Lingfield on Thursday, live on Sky Sports Racing, and joked: "I guarantee it'll improve this week because Tim has left it to me!"
Strike Red, eToro's only winner in the competition so far, returns after his success at Newcastle over six furlongs two weeks ago.
Jockey Paddy Mathers is back on board and takes all six of eToro's rides at Lingfield.
"He did it well at Newcastle," Fahey told Sky Sports Racing. "It was a strange meeting because there was a very strong headwind.
"He's a sprinter on a roll and if he can handle Lingfield then I'm sure he'll run a big race."
Lady Celia has been hitting the crossbar of late, finishing second in each of her last three starts.
Fahey, who owns the four-year-old, is hoping she can finally get her head in front and pocket the trainer the £25,000 prize.
"She's not been doing anything wrong and I think six furlongs around Lingfield will suit her well," Fahey said.
"She just needs a bit of luck. When you see a string of seconds, sometimes you worry but I don't think there's any issues with her. If they go quick, hopefully she'll be coming home late.
"I actually own her so we could do with the prize-money!"
This eight-year-old's winless streak stretches back to August last year and has fallen down to a mark of 77.
Gallipoli is priced up as an outsider for the race at Lingfield, but Fahey believes he could run a big race.
"He is very well handicapped and we don't think he's a back number," Fahey said.
"He's getting older now but he likes Lingfield and has been placed three times at the All-Weather championships there.
"At 25-1, he looks a huge price but he is the sort of horse that needs everything to go right. If it does, I wouldn't be shocked if he ran a big race."
Three-year-old horses have won nine of the 12 races in the Racing League so far and Fahey is hoping that trend continues with Double Dealing.
The colt managed three consecutive wins on the All-Weather surface between January and March this year and is fancied by his trainer to add to that tally.
"We're very pleased with him," Fahey said. "The older horses are struggling to win these race so we decided we'd go with the three-year-old.
"He probably needed his last run as he'd had a little break. We're expecting a better Double Dealing to turn up at Lingfield.
"The draw could have been kinder but if they go a good gallop he'll get slotted in and hopefully come home well."
A winner over a mile-and-a-quarter at Pontefract and Chester this year, Tombolo disappointed when stepped up to this trip of a mile-and-a-half at York last time.
But, Fahey believes hold-up tactics were to blame and expects a truer effort at Lingfield.
"He is a horse that's been progressing," Fahey said. "He was very disappointing the other day [at York] but we held him up to try and get the mile-and-a-half and I think all we did was scupper his best attribute, which is a big, long stride.
"We'll let him make use of that here."
