‘The Dream Is Royal Ascot – He’s The Best Flat Horse I’ve Ever Had’

[Wandering Eyes]

Mark Fahey speaks about potential stable star Tina's Indian – plus a lively outsider for the trainer at the Cheltenham Festival 

Trainer Mark Fahey has revealed that he is dreaming of Royal Ascot for potential stable star Tina's Indian (Ire) (Calyx {GB})-but first, the man who is widely regarded as one of the sharpest young trainers in Ireland is taking aim at the Cheltenham Festival with the battle-hardened hurdler Flicker Of Hope (Fr) (Buck's Boum {Fr}), and is quietly confident of hitting the back of the net.

Flicker Of Hope will represent the self-proclaimed 'smaller trainer's' first runner at the Cheltenham Festival when the four-time winner lines out for the Albert Bartlett Novices' Hurdle, for which the six-year-old can be backed at odds of 14-1. The dream, according to Fahey, is to finish in the money. 

“It's my first ever runner at the Cheltenham Festival,” he said. “Everyone keeps telling me that Flicker Of Hope has the right profile for the Albert Bartlett–he has had 10 runs over hurdles, which is nearly unheard of for a novice. He is hardened over the trip and has major handicap experience which should stand to him in a race like the Albert Bartlett.”

Fahey added, “He jumps, he travels and he doesn't seem to stop so we're looking forward to getting over there and hopefully he can put up a big performance. It would be a dream to get placed and walk back into the winner's enclosure with him. And I think he has a chance of doing that. I really do.”

Fahey has already bettered last season's tally of six winners over jumps and currently sits on 11. The upward trajectory of his County Kildare stable has been mirrored on the Flat, where last year's domestic haul stood at a career-high 13. None of those winners were more exciting than Curragh maiden scorer Tina's Indian, who is on course to make his seasonal return in the Gladness Stakes back at Irish racing's HQ.

Fahey said, “The dream is still alive with him! Our plan is to go for the Gladness Stakes at the Curragh and, basically, I am a small trainer and I don't have lots of black-type horses on the Flat so how we run in the Gladness will dictate where we go for the rest of the year. I don't have horses rated 100 that we can get a gauge off so we won't know how good Tina's Indian is until we put him in a Listed race. The dream is Royal Ascot. That would be the ultimate. He's definitely the best Flat horse I've ever had in my yard.”

He added, “Shane Foley and Ronan Whelan are a great help to me. They ride horses of this calibre the whole time so it's brilliant to have their feedback. We're hopeful that Tina's Indian can be competitive in those kinds of races this season. We don't know where the ceiling is with him. He's a gorgeous, big horse-he's 17 hh. That's what took us so long with him.”

Fahey continued, “You need good owners, good staff and nice horses and at the moment I have all three. I have great staff and great family and friends around me. The owners are great, too-they just let me get on with things and do what I have to do. I am lucky that I have been able to get my hands on some good horses. There's a big element of luck in getting Tina's Indian as well because he didn't sell as a yearling and, after he won at the Curragh, there were loads of offers on the table.”

He concluded, “Fair play to Con Harrington and James Hughes, who own him, as they said they'd rather roll the dice on the track with him. Now, don't get me wrong, we were blown away by the offers–it was a lot of money–but Con and James are sporting fellas and we're all fairly excited about what could be in store. They are dreaming just as much as I am with Tina's Indian, but they understand the game better than anyone and know that the bubble could burst fairly lively! But he's definitely the best Flat horse I've ever had anything to do with and we're looking forward to finding out more about him in the Gladness.”

 

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