RACING:RICHARD FAHEY is relishing the prospect of saddling his first ever Investec Derby runner after Mickdaam booked his ticket to Epsom in a thrilling renewal of the MBNA Chester Vase yesterday.
The Musley Bank handler is one of the most upwardly mobile trainers in the game but has yet to have a horse worthy of a place in the most prestigious British Classic of them all.
That will all change next month, however, after 8 to 1 shot Mickdaam held on by the narrowest margin to land this recognised Derby trial.
The son of Dubawi enjoyed a winter stint in Dubai with master South African trainer Mike de Kock and looked an improved horse when second in the Tattersalls Millions Trophy at Newmarket on his return for Fahey.
Stepped up to a mile and a half for the first time, Mickdaam was caught wide round the Chester bends, but was always travelling strongly for Tony Hamilton. The jockey decided to press on from the top of the home straight and although Model Pupil was finishing with a real rattle, Mickdaam held on by a nose, with John Oxx’s Call To Battle third and the Aidan O’Brien-trained favourite, David Livingston, fourth
Last year’s Chester Vase winner, Treasure Beach, went on to be beaten just a head into second at Epsom and Mickdaam is 33 to 1 from 50s to claim Derby glory with Paddy Power.
Fahey said: “The horse was with Mike de Kock for the Dubai Carnival, but it was always the intention that he would come back to me. I thought he handled the conditions very well. He’d only been back (from Dubai) 12 days when he ran at Newmarket last month, so he was entitled to come on for that. It will be fantastic to run him in the Derby.”
Dr Marwan Koukash continued his love affair with Chester as new acquisition Marcret took the main supporting race, the Betfair Huxley Stakes. The Marco Botti-trained 13 to 2 chance was making his British debut, but had been purchased by Koukash only last week. Ryan Moore kicked his mount to the front a furlong out and he held off another Koukash-owned horse, Myplacelater, by half-a-length.
Meanwhile, Oxx will resist the temptation to bring Born To Sea back in distance after he finished 12th in the 2,000 Guineas at Newmarket on Saturday.
The half-brother to Sea The Stars, beaten 10 lengths behind Camelot, was not given a hard time by Johnny Murtagh in the hope there are better days to come.
“The race was a bit of a non-event for him he just pulled too hard, even when the pace increased in the second furlong he still didn’t drop the bit,” said Oxx.
“If he settles better in future I’m sure he’ll run a good race. I think we’ll stick around the mile and if we do bring him back, it will only be by a furlong.”
