Fahy enjoys one of the good days
Harry Sexton onboard the Pat Fahy trained Prince Palace comes home to win the Nas Na Riogh Novice Handicap Chase at Navan today Photo: ©INPHO/Tom Maher
Away from the superpowers of Willie Mullins and Gordon Elliott, or even Henry De Bromhead or Gavin Cromwell, the life of a trainer can be a tough one.
There’s bad days than good as you travel the length and breadth of the country looking for a winner so when a good day arrives, you better make sure you enjoy it.
That was the way Pat Fahy was looking at it after he enjoyed a 7/2 winner with Prince Palace in the Nas Na Riogh Novice Handicap Chase at Navan today, a listed race worth over €26,000 for the winner.
Aside from History of Fashion, who enjoyed two wins before Christmas, wins have been hard to come for the Leighlinbridge trainer things fell nicely into place today.
The race was originally supposed to take place in Naas last week but it was rescheduled due to the weather and that opened up an opportunity.
“That gave us an extra week. We didn’t even think about running him at Naas because it was a bit close to his last run,” Fahy told Racing TV.
“We got the text from Turf Club about the race being a week later, which is great for us small trainers because we don’t have time to be looking up internets or whatever.
“We put him in and it worked out well for us. When I saw it was small entries, I said we have done something right – at last!”
“He was good over hurdles and had some great runs with Jody McGarvey and Jody always said he could be a two and a half miler. He was second at three miles, I always thought he would be a staying chaser but he’s won now over two and a half. We might come back here for three mile novice. We have 16 days to freshen him up, we’ll enter him and see what happens.”
Fahy also confirmed that they are planning a shot at Irish Grand National with History of Fashion at his favoured track of Fairyhouse.
It could turn out to be a very good weekend for Fahy as Bruce Jack is not without his chances at Leopardstown on Sunday, with Harry Sexton again in the saddle.
“The ground is good but he ran well enough in Gowran one day on good ground and the mother won in Leopardstown, maybe history will repeat itself. It might be what he’s looking for, a bit of decent ground. He’s in great form, and if he runs to his form he’s going to take a nice bit of beating, he should do anyway.
