Richard Fahey
Richard Fahey is a racehorse trainer, based in Malton, North Yorkshire. He has saddled over 30 Group race winners in the UK, Ireland, France and Canada. Group 1 winners include Sands Of Mali in the 2018 Champion Sprint Stakes and Ribchester in the 2017 Group 1 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot. Garswood in the 2014 Prix Maurice de Gheest, Mayson in the 2012 Group 1 July Cup at Newmarket and Wootton Bassett in the 2010 Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp. In 2015 Fahey equalled the record for the most calendar wins with 235. He ended 2017 with prize money of over £4.2m and 2018 he finished the season with 190 winners. He has trained over 2,500 winners both over the jumps and on the flat.[1]
Richard Fahey | |
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Occupation | Trainer |
Born | Nigeria |
Major racing wins | |
Queen Anne Stakes, The Lockinge, Prix du Moulin, Superlative Stakes, Mill Reef Stakes, July Cup, Lennox Stakes, Ayr Gold Cup, Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere, Heineken Gold Cup, Canadian Stakes, Yorkshire Cup, Prix Maurice de Gheest, Criterium de Maisons-Laffitte, Jersey Stakes, Prix Jacques Le Marois, Lowther Stakes | |
Significant horses | |
Ribchester, Queen Kindly, Birchwood, Sands Of Mali, Mr Lupton, Forest Ranger, Don't Touch, Garswood, Sandiva, Supplicant, Glen's Diamond, Ladys First, Mayson, Barefoot Lady, Mickdaam, Wootton Bassett, Knot In Wood, Utmost Respect, Anna Pavlova, Superior Premium, Golden Legacy, Noyan |
Career
Richard Fahey has built his training career on the back of a successful stint as a jockey. He chalked-up just over 100 winners, under both codes, in ten years in the saddle, the highlight of which was sharing the conditional jockeys’ title in the 1988–89 season.[2]
From starting out, in the summer of 1993, from Manor Farm, Butterwick, near Malton, with a modest string which barely reached double-figures, Fahey has never looked back.
In 2002, Fahey got his name on the Royal Ascot roll of honour courtesy of Superior Premium – a colt he bought as a yearling for 2,800gns- who clinched a 20–1 triumph in the Cork And Orrery Stakes under Johnny Murtagh.
2005 saw Fahey make the move to Musley Bank Stables, Malton, his current base and in 2006 he went through the £1 million prize money barrier.
In 2008 he saddled more than 100 winners for the first time, prize money was up to £1.2 million.
In 2010, Fahey burst through the £2 million prize money barrier with 181 winners in Britain. He also saddled his first Group One winner with Wootton Bassett in the 2010 Group 1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp.
2014 saw Fahey training his first winner at the Dubai World Cup; Gabrial for owner Dr Marwan Koukash. He trained 192 winners and prize money was over £2.8 million. In the British Flat Turf Trainers Championship Fahey finished third numerically, and fourth over-all. Baccarat also won the Wokingham Stakes at Royal Ascot and Fahey trained another Group One winner when Garswood won the Prix Maurice de Gheest
In 2015, Fahey equalled the record for most flat winners trained in a calendar year – 235. The season started with success for owner Dr Marwan Koukash and jockey Tony Hamilton to win the £100,000 Lincoln Handicap at Doncaster Racecourse with former Group 1 contender, Gabrial. The trio had previously enjoyed success in the 2012 renewal of the annual flat racing curtain raiser, with Brae Hill. Dr Koukash also owned Fahey's 2000th winner, Rene Mathis bought up the milestone at Goodwood in August. There was Group 2 success with Birchwood in the Superlative Stakes and Ribchester in the Mill Reef Stakes for Godolphin. Donjuan Triumphant won the Criterium De Maisons-Laffitte for Middleham Park Racing. Eastern Impact won the Group 3 Bengough Stakes at Ascot and there were numerous big Saturday winners. Don't Touch won the Ayr Gold Cup, Third Time Lucky the Cambridgeshire, Lathom the Weatherbys Super Sprint and Mr Lupton the Weatherbys Hamilton £300,000 2-Y-O Stakes.
In 2016, Fahey trained 198 winners and prize money was over £3m. He trained the Godolphin owned Ribchester to win the Jersey Stakes at Royal Ascot and followed that Group 3 success with a Group 1 win in Deauville in the Prix Jacques Le Marois. He also trained Queen Kindly (a daughter of Frankel) to Group 2 success in the Lowther Stakes at York.
Ribchester continued his Group 1 success in 2017 with victory in the Lockinge at Newbury, the Prix du Moulin and he broke the track record in the Queen Anne at Royal Ascot. Fahey ended the year with 200 winners and prize money was over £4.2m. He won the Gimcrack Stakes for the first time with Sands Of Mali. Bengali Boys won the Wetherby Super Sprint and Darkanna the Redcar Trophy.
In 2018 he sent out 190 winners – there was Group 3 success for Mr Lupton in the Trophy Stakes at Newbury. Forest Ranger picked up the Group 2 Huxley Stakes and Sands Of Mali picked up the full bag with Group 3 success in the Prix Sigy, the Group 2 Sandy Lane and Group 1 success in the Champion Sprint Stakes at Ascot.
In the space of less than 20 years, Fahey has become one of the country's leading trainers with more than 200 horses on his books.
For 12 years, Paul Hanagan was the stable's number one jockey, twice winning the British flat jockey championship, before leaving to take up a position as retained rider with Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum. Hanagan returned to Musley Bank in 2017. Jockeys include Tony Hamilton, Jack Garritty, Paddy Mathers, Dave Nolan, Connor Murtagh and Sebastian Woods.
Major wins
- Cork & Orrery Stakes – Superior Premium (2000)
- July Cup – Mayson (2012)[3]
- Lockinge Stakes - Ribchester (2017)
- Queen Anne Stakes - Ribchester (2017)
- British Champions Sprint Stakes - Sands Of Mali (2018)
- Prix du Moulin - Ribchester (2017)
- Prix Jacques Le Marois – Ribchester (2016)
- Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere – Wootton Bassett (2010)[4]
- Prix Maurice de Gheest – Garswood (2014)
- Heineken Gold Cup – Noyan (1997)[5]
References
- "Introduction". Richard Fahey official website. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
- "Past Championships Winners". Professional Jockeys Association. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
- Peacock, Tom (15 July 2012). "Mayson romps to July Cup win". Sunday Times. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
- Porteous, Lewis (22 September 2011). "Jean-Luc Lagardere hero Wootton Bassett retired". The Racing Post. Retrieved 23 April 2013.
- "Group Winners". Richard Fahey official website. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2013.