Fahey supplements 'baby' Gabrial to take on big boys

 

If the meeting seems set to open with two regal processions, rather than one, then at least some proper, unruly competition looks guaranteed soon after the monarch has admired Frankel following her down the straight at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.

The unbeaten champion is as short as 1-8 with Coral to reiterate his supremacy at a mile in the Queen Anne Stakes, having already proven himself in a different class from the few with the temerity to confirm their engagement at the five-day stage.

The next generation, though, still has much to resolve, as might be evinced from no fewer than 22 acceptors for the St James's Palace Stakes barely an hour later – two of them supplemented to the fray yesterday for a fee of £25,000 apiece.

One was Lucayan, shock winner in cheekpieces of the French equivalent to the 2,000 Guineas; the other, fascinatingly, was a colt beaten in two handicaps this spring but who none the less commands utmost respect – representing, as Gabrial does, two feisty, emerging forces at the elite level. Richard Fahey, of course, has long since earned the right to return Group One horses to Malton. It is to the discredit of the established bloodstock superpowers, then, that it has required a relative novice, in Dr Marwan Koukash, to get Fahey involved in this race.

Up against Classic winners, such as Power and Lucayan, Gabrial will still arrive very much as an outsider – Betfred introduced him at 25-1 – but could well prove one of those horses who raise their game according to the company they keep.

His first visit to Royal Ascot was admittedly a disaster, trailing in 20th of 23 in the Coventry Stakes last year after winning his first two starts. But Gabrial's subsequent disappearance confirmed that he had not been himself that day, and Fahey was duly convinced that he returned as a very well-handicapped colt.

Unfortunately Gabrial was repeatedly hampered on his comeback, and then threw away a race by hanging in desperate ground at Chester. Everything came together, however, in a valuable handicap at Haydock last time and connections have now fast-tracked him to the top tier.

True, Gabrial again failed to keep a straight course at Haydock, but Koukash puts that down to inexperience. "He's still a baby, still thinks it's a game," he explained yesterday. "But we believe he is a Group One horse. Hopefully with better quality horses around him he will learn more, and run a good race."

Betfred made Power 11-4 favourite, from Born To Sea and Lucayan on 8-1. It would take something fairly outrageous, of course, for any of them to show as a feasible Sussex Stakes rival for Frankel, who is himself likely to end up in another small field. His regular punchbag, Excelebration, remains more likely to renew rivalry than make way for his Ballydoyle stablemate, So You Think, who is instead expected to head for the Prince of Wales's Stakes the following day.

Turf account

Chris McGrath's Nap

Sea Fever (9.20 Haydock) Half-brother to the classy Wigmore Hall, duly improved for a step up in trip, after three maiden spins to qualify for handicaps, and ahead of the game under a penalty if able to repeat that form.

Next best

Les Verguettes (2.30 Nottingham) Shaping well in both starts for Chris Wall, and creeps into this race on an indulgent turf mark

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
Caption competition
Caption competition
News in pictures
World news in pictures
Sport blogs

Brits on fire in the wet at Le Mans!

Wow - what a weekend for British Motorcycle racing!

by Luke Wilkins

iBet: Bale and Rooney transfer specials

The dust is barely settling on the Premier League season and the bookies are looking to persuade us ...

by Gareth Purnell

A changing of the guards in English football: From Sir Alex Ferguson to Jose Mourinho

The guard has changed at Old Trafford for the first time in 26 years. Meanwhile, down the road, the ...

by The Sports Lawyer

       
Independent Dating
and  

By clicking 'Search' you
are agreeing to our
Terms of Use.

Career Services

Day In a Page

Watch out Watford: Here comes the secretive Bilderberg Group

Watch out Watford: Here comes the secretive Bilderberg Group

A meeting of global power brokers in a Hertfordshire hotel is exciting conspiracy theorists, but what are they really about?
'The ultimate all-in-one home entertainment system': Microsoft finally unveils its Xbox ONE console

'The ultimate all-in-one home entertainment system'

Microsoft finally unveils its Xbox ONE console
Plenty of Fish dating site founder pulls 'Intimate Encounters' option to ward off sleazy men

Plenty of sleaze

Dating website pulls intimate 'hook-up' section to curb harassment
Inferno author Dan Brown 'honoured' to be invited to join the Freemasons

The Freemasons’ Code

Dan Brown reveals the message that told him door to the lodge is open
Not secure any more: G4S boss heads for exit at last

Not secure any more: G4S boss heads for exit at last

Nick Buckles survived the Olympics débâcle and a £5bn bid fiasco but a profit warning finally triggered his downfall
How to say ‘I’m a sellout’: Tumblr’s David Karp’s message of reassurance to his staff sounded very familiar

How to say ‘I’m a sellout’

Tumblr’s David Karp’s message of reassurance to his staff sounded very familiar
Why clubs are keen to take a stand

Why clubs are keen to take a stand

There's a real desire around the grounds for safe standing. But will the authorities listen?
In the end the fans decided Tony Pulis had made a pig's ear of the job at Stoke City

In the end the fans decided Tony Pulis had made a pig's ear of the job at Stoke City

Disillusion with a siege mentality and negative playing style made change inevitable
James Lawton: The James Hunt I knew is the subject of a new F1 movie

James Lawton: The James Hunt I knew is the subject of a new F1 movie

British driver was fascinating man whose epic duel with Niki Lauda in 1976 was typical of an era of glamour and glory – but also the ever-present threat of death
Stuart Hogg: Ready to climb his own Everest

Stuart Hogg: Ready to climb his own Everest

Lions' cub, 20, joins long line of players from Scottish borders club Hawick given opportunity to make his mark at highest level
Carl Froch handed rare chance of revenge with dream rematch

Steve Bunce on Boxing

Carl Froch handed rare chance of revenge with dream rematch against Mikel Kessler
'There is a battle going on inside us that is never discussed'

Masculinity in crisis?

'There is a battle going on inside us that is never discussed'
Have US shock jocks gone too far?

Have US shock jocks gone too far?

An incendiary remark from Rush Limbaugh may be the beginning of the end for outspoken right-wing US broadcasters
The ‘Beverly Hills’ of Surrey pays more income tax than big cities of the North

The ‘Beverly Hills’ of Surrey

Elmbridge pays more income tax than big cities of the North
Heavenly Bodies

Heavenly Bodies

Michael Landy's artistic marriage made in heaven... and hell