Fev Rover packing down for a shot at Classic glory in 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh

RICHARD Fahey’s Fev Rover – the horse named after Featherstone Rovers rugby league team – appears increasingly likely to have a second tilt at Classic glory in the Tattersalls Irish 1,000 Guineas at the Curragh.
Richard Fahey is the trainer of 1000 Guineas third Fev Rover.Richard Fahey is the trainer of 1000 Guineas third Fev Rover.
Richard Fahey is the trainer of 1000 Guineas third Fev Rover.

A winner at Listed and Group Two level as a juvenile last season, the Malton filly ran an excellent race in defeat at Newmarket at the start of this month under former champion jockey Paul Hanagan.

She finished a close-up third behind Aidan O’Brien’s Mother Earth and Jane Chapple-Hyam’s Saffron Beach with Epsom Oaks favourte Santa Barbara back in fourth.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Coronavirus restrictions make a trip across the Irish Sea a little more complicated than would usually be the case, but the Nick Bradley Racing ownership team is keen to run on Sunday.

The Yorkshire-trained Fev Rover was third in this month's 1000 Guineas to the Frankie Dettori-inspired Mother Earth.The Yorkshire-trained Fev Rover was third in this month's 1000 Guineas to the Frankie Dettori-inspired Mother Earth.
The Yorkshire-trained Fev Rover was third in this month's 1000 Guineas to the Frankie Dettori-inspired Mother Earth.

Bradley said: “Fev Rover is all good – she worked on Tuesday and worked well.

“We are going to make a final decision on Thursday morning - but right now, I suspect we’re going to run. After the Guineas she had a few extra days in her box, but she worked well earlier in the week.

“With the current situation in the world, you don’t really want to be going to Ireland and France if you can help it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“That said, this is the last 1000 Guineas of the season and it looks like a good spot for her.”

If Fev Rover is given the green light for an Irish trip, Bradley, who is based near Barton-upon-Humber, believes she should prove “hard to beat” in her bid to become the first British-trained winner of the race since Just The Judge in 2013.

He added: “The ground is probably not going to be ideal - it looks like it’s going to be on the soft side.

“I think it’s either run in Ireland or wait for the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot - and taking everything into account, I suspect we’ll be running this weekend.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I think a reproduction of her run at Newmarket would make her hard to beat.”

Meanwhile, the aforementioned Chapple-Hyam says Saffron Beach will have a racecourse gallop at Epsom before her participation in the Cazoo Oaks is confirmed.

The filly was twice a winner in her two-year-old campaign, triumphing on her racecourse debut before going on to take the Group Three Oh So Sharp Stakes.

“She’s going on Monday to the behind-closed-doors gallop at Epsom,” said the trainer. “We’ll see how she goes around there and then make a decision. There’s just no rush to make a decision.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Adam Kirby has ridden Saffron Beach in all four of her racecourse starts, and Chapple-Hyam will trust his assessment of how she handles the descent from Tattenham Corner to the winning post.

“She’s all good and scheduled to go on Monday and, hopefully, Adam Kirby will be available to come and ride her,” she added.

“I’ve talked to Adam, so we’ll just tee her up and confirm everything. We’ll see if Adam’s comfortable with her coming down the hill. We’re dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s, and we’re looking forward to it.”

Support The Yorkshire Post and become a subscriber today. Your subscription will help us to continue to bring quality news to the people of Yorkshire. In return, you’ll see fewer ads on site, get free access to our app and receive exclusive members-only offers. Click HERE to subscribe.

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.