Richard Fahey: Trophy hunters

Richard Fahey goes through his Saturday runners around the country, including his trio that go for the 3yo Sprint Trophy at HQ.

Another busy Saturday with runners at four meetings.

Birchwood is now our sole representative at Newbury in the Olympic Glory Conditions Stakes. This is a very warm race with a lot of horses bringing tall reputations into it. We do like our fellow but whether he’s up to winning this we’ll find out on Saturday.

Ixelles Diamond has her first run of the year in the mazerattan.com Garden Furniture Specialists Handicap at Newmarket. I just have a fear she might be a bit too fresh but she’s very well, likes the track and it looks a good place to start.

We have three in the Junction 17 Cars Sprint Trophy which is a good pot at £45,000.

Steve Prescott was entitled to need it at Chester on his return but Jamie Spencer was delighted with him. He felt he was ready to win so we’ll see how good a judge he is on Saturday!

Fullon Clarets ran well at Newmarket the last day when Paul Hanagan felt he should have been more positive on him. We’ll adopt those tactics here.

I hope Grandad’s World got bogged down in the testing ground at Hamilton. He was very disappointing there but no issues came to light. He was previously a nice, progressive, young sprinter but does need to bounce back from that run.

Lady Argentum is our first runner at Thirsk in division one of the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Fillies' Stakes. She ran better than we expected first time and is entitled to improve for it. However she needs to if she’s to win this as it looks the warmer of the two races.

In division two Jeanie’s Place is a filly we like. She goes quite well at home and while I’d have preferred to see her drawn a little higher, she should run a decent race.

Manchestar returns in the Marion Gibson Brown Memorial Handicap. He was progressive last season before having a bit of a setback but is fit and well. He needs luck in running with a big field around here but is in good form.

Gramercy travelled really well at Chester last time but just got a little tired. That run should have put him right for the Andy Davis 50th Birthday Handicap but it does look very competitive.

Ballesteros had no chance from his draw at the Roodeye. In fact I think he’d nearly have won had been racing from a lower stall as he was messed about early and still managed to finish fifth. Any rain would help him ahead of the Racing UK Profits Returned To Racing Handicap.

Our final four runners are at Doncaster’s evening card.

Cotton Camera is limited enough but she does try quite hard. She’s probably one for nurseries but could still run ok in the Portland Of Bawtry Used Cars Maiden Auction Stakes if it’s an ordinary race.

Gabrial The Viking is very keen at home and needs to learn to settle. Sometimes racing helps them with that education process so we try again in the Fine & Country Handicap.

Royal Connoisseur is a frustrating little horse. He might have been another to get bogged down in the soft ground at Hamilton. Anyone of ten horses could win the Caviars Of Bawtry Handicap but he’d be in the ten.

Gabrial The Tiger ran well at Leicester last time and a repeat of that effort would have to see him go close in the 31 Market Place Cocktail Bar & Bistro Handicap.