Richard Fahey, who has provided Paul Hanagan with no fewer than 75 winners this season, can add two more at Wolverhampton tomorrow in a bid to put the finishing touches to a memorable title-winning campaign for his number one jockey.
Hanagan, on the threshold of retaining the championship crown he won so memorably 12 months ago, teams up with Musley Bank’s Colbyor and Antigua Sunrise and both have winning chances.
The Malton pilot, who completed a treble at Redcar earlier in the week, and who has maintained his excellent form to the end of a season in which he has ridden in more than 1,100 races, partners Colbyor in the 32Red Median Maiden Stakes.
The two-year-old stepped up on his unplaced debut performance to finish second at Catterick on his latest start. There is surely more improvement to come. And, although Colbyor has to prove his effectiveness as he switches to Polytrack, he has every chance of coping with it admirably.
Antigua Sunrise is likewise unproven on an all-weather surface, but she is pretty capable on turf and if she brings something like her best form into the Visit attheraces.com/breederscup Handicap she has fine prospects.
She’s a five-times winner and, although she hasn’t scored this season, she has run some good races. Antigua Sunrise has been ridden by apprentices in each of her last four starts, but Hanagan, second on her in a decent handicap at York in July, knows her well and might just inspire her to a sixth career win.
Hanagan has other good chances on the card – Shaws Diamond (7.10), who has been running well lately, and nap selection Fonnie (7.40), who ran as though in need of the outing and the experience on her latest comeback, which was only the second start of her career.
She is fancied to have the edge over Roman Flame, the mount of Silvestre de Sousa, Hanagan’s only remaining threat in the title race.
The Thirsk-based pilot has good prospects on the in-form Trojan Rocket (6.40) on a programme where Ryedale apprentice Paul Pickard can start proceedings with a winner on Frequency (4.30), a course-and-distance scorer last week for former Mark Johnston jockey now trainer Keith Dalgleish.
Unlike Hanagan, who is devoting all his attentions to Wolverhampton tomorrow, de Sousa is undertaking yet another double-header by taking in the afternoon meeting at Ffos Las, where he is fancied on the Mark Johnston-trained Rafeej in the EGAN Waste Nursery.
The Middleham juvenile made a winning debut at Bath when scoring under de Sousa by three-parts of a length. He is now into handicap off a mark of 75. A largely unknown quantity, he warrants respect.
racing selections
Ffos Las tomorrow
12.30 Trader Jack, 1.00 Sunley Pride, 1.30 Takeitfromalady, 2.00 Hollie, 2.30 Rafeej, 3.00 Flameoftheforest, 3.30 Ashkalara, 4.00 Aegean Destiny.
Wolverhampton tomorrow
4.30 Frequency, 5.00 Francis Albert, 5.35 Colbyor, 6.10 Princess Dayna, 6.40 Trojan Rocket, 7.10 Shaws Diamond, 7.40 Fonnie (NAP), 8.15 Antigua Sunrise.
Tomorrow’s other meetings: Fontwell and Hexham.
Today’s meetings: Southwell, Musselburgh, Towcester and Wolverhampton.
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