Tag Archive for: Peter Fahey

The Big Dog ready to show National bite

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For a horse who has won a Grand National trial, two of the most competitive handicap chases in Ireland, finished third in the Welsh National and was in front of Galopin Des Champs when falling two out in the Irish Gold Cup, The Big Dog heads to Aintree under the radar.

Trained by Peter Fahey in Monasterevin, County Kildare, the 10-year-old has taken time to mature but was in the process of running a career-best by some distance at the Dublin Racing Festival.

That he tipped up when still going well adds to the intrigue. Had he stood up and finished a respectable third or fourth to subsequent Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs, everyone would know just where he stood in the pecking order.

The fact he fell when still apparently going well leaves us all guessing as to where he would have finished – a far cry from when he left the Cheltenham sales ring unsold in April 2017.

“He was with Aidan Fitzgerald as a young horse and he went over to the sales at Cheltenham after one run in a point-to-point, but it didn’t work out and the lads (Damien and Colin Kelly) decided to put him into training with me – which worked out great for me,” said Fahey.

“He won a bumper for us. It gave the boys their first winner on the track. He’d run well in his first bumper behind Carefully Selected, so we knew we had something to play with.

“You could see by looking at him he was a chaser, he did win a maiden hurdle and then he went on to be second in the Red Mills Final at Punchestown after that, but it was always the plan to go chasing the following season.

“Unfortunately he picked up an injury which kept him off the track that year. He was a very lightly-raced horse, but he was a big horse, so he was only ever going to improve with racing.”

While connections never feel it at the time, there are occasions when a season on the sidelines benefits a horse, especially one as big as The Big Dog.

“He ran some good races when we finally did get him out over fences and of course he then went and won the Grand National Trial at Punchestown on his last run of the year (February 2021),” added Fahey.

“We were happy he showed us that day that he was going to be a horse good enough to run in the big handicaps, but at that stage you are only dreaming that he’s a horse for the National.

“He was improving away the whole time, but you only expected that really because he was a very big horse.”

However, last season was very definitely a bump in the road. The Welsh National was his big aim and while he was beaten a long way in his first two outings, Fahey headed to Chepstow with confidence, but luck was not with the Irish on this occasion.

The Big Dog made an early blunder which sent the reins over his head and jockey Johnny Burke had no option but to pull him up.

The Big Dog jumped the last almost upsides in the Welsh National but eventually 12st took its toll
The Big Dog jumped the last almost upsides in the Welsh National but eventually 12st took its toll (David Davies/PA)

“Last year we were trying to mind him with the Welsh National in mind. He went over for that and of course we were unlucky. When he came back he wasn’t disgraced in the National Trial again, but he was never quite right after it so we finished his season there. He came back a better horse for a longer break,” said Fahey.

He certainly did. By winning the Munster National at Limerick and the Troytown at Navan, he pocketed over €100,000 for connections and in the process earned a big enough rise in the ratings that Aintree suddenly became an option.

“He started this year by winning the Munster National and then won the Troytown off 8lb higher. They’d be two of the most competitive handicap chases in Ireland. To win both of them very well was great,” said Fahey.

Fahey still had an itch to scratch in Wales and The Big Dog went closer this time, beaten just over six lengths into third by The Two Amigos carrying 12st in soft ground.

But it was his most recent outing that caught the eye.

“I actually think he was running a career-best at Leopardstown last time out when he tipped up,” said Fahey.

“Keith (Donoghue) came back that day and said he couldn’t believe how easy he was going. I know the race quickened up from that point on, but he was on the front end and looked like he was going to pick up.

“To make sure he didn’t remember that, he had a school around Navan in early March and that went very well. Yogi Breisner has also been over to give him a school over poles, so everything is in place. The fall at Leopardstown hasn’t knocked his confidence at all.

“He’d always been a careful jumper but it was uncharacteristic of him to fall, hopefully that’s all behind us and we can look forward to him running a huge race at Aintree.

“Belfast Banter is my only Grade One winner to date but that was at Aintree, things like that certainly don’t hurt, hopefully this lad can put in a huge run for us.”

The Big Dog impresses Fahey with racecourse school

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The Big Dog is firmly on course for the Randox Grand National on April 15 following a successful racecourse schooling session at Navan.

Aintree has been the plan for Peter Fahey’s charge since winning both the Munster National and Troytown Handicap Chase in the early part of the season and he continued his fine campaign by putting in a respectable performance in the Welsh National at Christmas, finishing third with the burden of top weight.

Handed a Grade One assignment in the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival, the 10-year-old was in the process of running arguably a career best when taking a fall at the second last.

Given a clean bill of health in the aftermath of his Leopardstown outing, The Big Dog is now deep into his preparation for the Merseyside marathon, where he has a mark of 160 and set to carry 11st 5lb.

A schooling session in the hands of Keith Donoghue on Sunday left Fahey delighted and he confirmed it is “all systems go” for Liverpool, with The Big Dog is a general 25-1 for Grand National glory.

He said: “He’s good and has actually just had a racecourse school – he went two miles over fences at Navan on Sunday and he jumped very well.

“Keith Donoghue rode him and he was thrilled with him. He will ride him at Aintree for us.

“It is all systems go for the National now with him. I’m delighted with how he is, he came out of his last race really well and he put in a very good schooling session yesterday.”

Zoffany Bay giving Fahey chance of Imperial Cup defence

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Peter Fahey will seek back-to-back victories in the Betfair Imperial Cup with Zoffany Bay, who is one of 30 entries for the Sandown handicap.

The nine-year-old was off the track for almost two years before making an eyecatching debut for the Monasterevin-based handler at Ascot last month and Fahey believes his charge will have no issue dropping back to the minimum distance on Saturday afternoon – especially if the forecast rain brings his stamina into play.

The Irishman saddled Surprise Package to score at 20-1 in the race 12 months ago, but bookmakers are taking no chances this time around with Zoffany Bay priced up as the 8-1 second-favourite by Betfair.

“We were thrilled with the way he ran at Ascot, he ran a cracker in what was his first run after nearly two years off,” said Fahey.

“Sandown is probably a stiffer track than Ascot and I can’t see dropping back to two miles being a problem for him.

“It would be a dream to go over and win it again. It was kind of the plan with this horse that if we had a good run and a bit of luck we would head over to Sandown. Please God the weather looks set to change and we get a bit of rain which would be a help for us.

“He’s in good form. He did a little bit of work at Navan racecourse on Sunday morning and he seems fresh and well, so it is all systems go to head on over.

Last year Surprise Package followed up his winning exploits at the Esher venue by finishing a respectable sixth in the County Hurdle, but Fahey does not envisage Zoffany Bay following suit and taking up his engagement in the Martin Pipe Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Hurdle.

He continued: “I think it’s highly unlikely at the moment (run at Cheltenham) because there is a couple of nice pots in Ireland for him as well.

“But we won’t rule anything in or out and will see how we get on Saturday then make a plan with the lads at Pimlico (owners) what we are going to do with him.”

Trainer Gary Moore looks to have a strong hand in the Betfair Imperial Cup
Trainer Gary Moore looks to have a strong hand in the Betfair Imperial Cup (Nigel French/PA)

Gary Moore’s Givega is the sponsor’s current 7-1 favourite on the back of his course-and-distance success last time, while the Lower Beeding handler could also be represented by Authorised Speed who has not been seen since a disappointing favourite over the track and trip in the Tolworth Hurdle.

Another Sandown scorer to note among the list of possibles is Jamie Snowden’s Hardy Du Seuil, while Soul Icon has won his last five and attempts to defy a 10lb rise for Kieran Burke.

Charlie Longston’s Paramount and Dan Skelton’s Playful Saint are others to arrive on the back of a victory, with Skelton also represented in the entries by Knickerbockerglory and one-time hot juvenile prospect In This World who could return from 491 days off the track.

The Big Dog on course for Grand National assignment

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The Big Dog has been given a clean bill of health following his fall in the Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown, with trainer Peter Fahey reporting it is all systems go for a tilt at the Randox Grand National on April 15.

Winner of the Munster National on his first start of the season, he followed up by claiming the Troytown Handicap Chase at Navan in November – a victory that had connections dreaming of Aintree in the spring.

He then continued his fine campaign by finishing third off top-weight in the Welsh Grand National before being handed a Grade One assignment at the Dublin Racing Festival earlier this month.

Tasked with tackling the likes of Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs and Stattler, the 10-year-old was more than holding his own and having travelled sweetly throughout, was well in the shake up when coming to grief at the second last.

However, he is none the worse for that tumble and all roads now lead to the Merseyside marathon, where The Big Dog is a general 25-1 shot to continue the dominance of Irish-trained horses in the race.

“It looked like he was going to run a big race when he came down. Where his finishing position would have been I don’t know, but the one thing he was always going to do was stay on from the back of the second-last,” said Fahey.

“We were thrilled with his run and although he had a bad fall, he has come out of it well. We will just build up his confidence now with a bit of jumping and the main aim will be to go to Aintree.

“He’s back working away and exercising away and everything seems fine and all going well, we’ll be at Aintree.

“At the moment we’re not looking at running him again, but we still need to get him back jumping and schooling. If he hasn’t lost his confidence too much, we’d definitely not think about running again. If I think he needs a run to get his confidence back then we will give him one, but I would be leaning towards not running him.”

He went on: “He’s had a busy enough season and we know he goes well fresh. I think he’s done enough and if his jumping is OK after his fall, we’ll head straight to Aintree.

“If all things went well the last day, I think he would have run above his mark again which would have been a big performance and I think he proved he appreciated a bit of nicer ground as well, so there are definitely a few plusses to take out of his run in the Irish Gold Cup.”

The Big Dog takes Leopardstown test en route to Aintree

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Peter Fahey is happy to give The Big Dog his Grand National prep run in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Saturday.

The 10-year-old has already enjoyed a fantastic season, winning the Munster National at Limerick and the Troytown Chase at Navan before finishing third under 12 stone in the Welsh Grand National.

The Big Dog will face a big rise in class on the opening day of the Dublin Racing Festival, with Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Galopin Des Champs among his likely rivals, but Fahey views the Grade One contest as an ideal stepping-stone to Aintree in April.

He said: “At the moment he’ll definitely be running. He came out of the race at Chepstow well.

“It’s a hugely competitive race and Grade One, but it fits in well in that it gives us enough time to aim for Aintree. Hopefully he puts in a big run and it will put us right for the Grand National, which is the main target.

“He’s a little bit behind on ratings on Saturday, but I wouldn’t be worried. It’s a lovely race for him and the ground isn’t going to be too heavy, so it won’t bottom him out too much.

“He’s after having a hard season, running in three big handicaps so far. We’re going into a Grade One race now, but it gives us enough time afterwards to freshen him up for Aintree.”

The Big Dog is one of two planned runners for Fahey on Saturday, with Visionarian set to line up in the Goffs Irish Arkle.

Visionarian winning at Galway
Visionarian winning at Galway (Brian Lawless/PA)

The eight-year-old could renew rivalry with Saint Roi, to whom he finished second in a Grade One at Leopardstown over Christmas, while Dysart Dynamo and Appreciate It are other potential opponents.

Visionarian is the rank outsider in ante-post lists, but Fahey is quietly confident about his chances.

He added: “Visionarian worked and schooled on Tuesday and I’m absolutely thrilled with him – he seems to have come on a bit from his last run.

“Hopefully they don’t put water on the track for him, but he’s in good form and I think he’ll run a very big race.”

Fahey plotting Grand National path for The Big Dog

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The Big Dog has Aintree in his sights after a fine weight-carrying performance in the Welsh Grand National.

Peter Fahey’s nine-year-old shouldered top-weight of 12st around Chepstow, under which he finished a gallant third when ridden by Aidan Coleman.

Fahey reports the bay, who has already won the Troytown Chase and the Munster National this term, to be well following his exertions, which will pave the way to a bid for the Grand National at Aintree come April.

“He ran a great race under the weight he carried, we were thrilled with him,” he said.

“He’s come out of the race really well and we’re aiming him at the English National now.

“We think he jumped very well on the day and we’re very excited about getting him ready for Aintree.”

Fahey is yet to plot a specific route to Aintree and will decide as the season progresses if another run is due before The Big Dog heads to Liverpool.

“We’ll know nearer the time whether he’ll run before or not, we’ll see how he is over the next month or six weeks but our aim is now the National,” he said.

“I think he has the right credentials for it, we’re looking forward to it and the owners really are as well.”

Fahey also has a big spring target for the promising Visionarian, who was an impressive second to Saint Roi on day one of the Christmas Festival at Leopardstown.

The performance is the latest in the seven-year-old’s ascendant chasing career, which will now head in the direction of the Cheltenham Festival – possibly via the Dublin Racing Festival.

Fahey said: “He put up a very good performance.

“We’ll probably consider keeping him in graded company with that run, whether we go to the Dublin Racing Festival or not, but he’ll be aimed at the Arkle at Cheltenham.”