Richard Fahey Royal Ascot plans and Saturday runners from Epsom and Musselburgh

JUVENILES FLYING AT PRESENT

The two-year-olds have been going well, we’ve had a few nice ones win recently and we’ve more to come in the next few weeks as well.

NATIVE AMERICAN probably won’t go to Royal Ascot, he’ll be a nice seven-furlong horse later in the season.

GOLDEN MIND looks a seven-furlong horse now and that’s why we’re thinking Chesham Stakes. He’s learning the whole time, he’s a big, strong, brute and that race will have done him the world of good, he’s come out of it great.

He looked a slow horse the other day but he’s not a slow horse, so the Coventry is there, but he ran like he needed seven and given he qualifies for the Chesham through his dam it looks the obvious route.

I said in the two-year-old guide how much we’re looking forward to running EMPEROR’S SON and he goes in the novice stakes at Carlisle at 1.40 on Friday. It should be a good test for him.

He’s a horse we really like, he’s working well and it will take a pretty smart horse to beat him.

On Saturday we’ve a small but select team, with some nice horses running up and down the country.

Great draw in stall two, that should help her. I was a fraction disappointed with her at York, she did get knocked over early on and never got back into it, but I think she’s extremely well handicapped. She just needs a bit of luck.

MINNESOTA LAD – 2.45 Epsom

He’s stepping back in trip, he’s only ever won over five so maybe I’ve just been stretching him out a bit too much. He needs to up his game there in a competitive race. It’s a valuable race and I’m happy to have a go for it.

VINTAGE CLARETS – 3.20 Epsom

We’ve kept him for this race, that doesn’t mean he’s going to win but we have kept him back for it. We pencilled it in early in the season and it’s a great race to aim at. He’s got a great draw in 19, I always think you’d prefer to be high as long as you take advantage of it. He’s quick, whether he’s Epsom quick we’ll see, but he looks fairly handicapped and I’m looking forward to it. Oisin Murphy became available so we stuck him on, I’m delighted to have him.

OLD SMOKE – 3.40 Musselburgh

I was very happy with him at Newbury in what is always a very good London Gold Cup. He’s learning all the time and it was the best run of his life, he’s still progressing so fingers crossed.

STRIKE RED – 5.05 Epsom

He just half missed the kick at Newmarket but he ran well enough. To win again he just needs a bit of luck off his current mark around Epsom, but he’s in great order and I couldn’t be happier with him.

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