Ryedale trainers show off stables as Beverley beckons (From York Press)

Ryedale trainers show off stables as Beverley beckons

11:34am Saturday 25th August 2012 in Sport By Tom O'Ryan, Racing journalist

Richard Fahey and David O’Meara, two of the trainers who will be opening their doors tomorrow morning for the eagerly-awaited revival of the Malton Stables’ Open Day, are fancied to have winners in the afternoon at Beverley.

A discount in admission is being offered at Beverley to Open Day visitors, who will have the choice of going behind the scenes at 22 different yards in the Malton area, where up to 1,000 horses will be on show, plus a whole host of other attractions.

Demonstrations in saddlery, equine physiotherapy, dentistry and farriery will be carried out at various yards during the Open Day, which takes place between 9am and Ipm.

There will be also be a display of retired racehorses, and stands from Racing For Change and the Northern Racing College during an event which has not taken place at Malton for ten years.

Fahey, whose sizeable Musley Bank yard promises to draw a huge crowd to see, among others, Group 1 winner Mayson, Listed winner Barefoot Lady and Lincoln Handicap winner Brae Hill, can strike at Beverley with nap selection Sandsend in the Come Racing At Beverley Next Saturday Nursery over five furlongs.

The juvenile scored on his latest outing in similar company at Newcastle and a 5lb rise may not be enough to halt him in his tracks. Jimmy Quinn, who began his racing career with Fahey when both were teenage apprentices at Pat Rohan’s Norton yard, takes the mount on Sandsend.

O’Meara, whose yard at Nawton near Helmsley, has grown out of all proportion in the last 12 months, sent out Dutch Rose to win at York on Thursday.

The former jump jockey has made a spectacular transition to training and among the horses at his stables for the Open Day will be Pepper Lane, dual-winner of Ripon’s Great St Wilfrid Handicap, Group 2 hero Blue Bajan, who runs in today’s Ebor at York, and useful handicapper Smarty Socks.

O’Meara can hit the target at Beverley with Penang Pegasus, who runs in the Malton Racing Association Open Day Handicap.

The gelding was a recent winner at Ayr in the hands of Robert Winston, who retains the mount.

Half an hour later, David Bergin, who is apprenticed to O’Meara, can lift the Beverley Lions Handicap (division two) on Aubrietia for Nottinghamshire trainer Alan McCabe.

Wins at Nottingham and Warwick, both times in apprentice races with Bergin in the saddle, confirm Aubretia to be in tip-top form. There is no penalty to carry tomorrow and a third rapid win looks on the cards for this in-form sprinter.

The opening John Jenkins Memorial Claiming Stakes features the first three home in a similar race over this course and distance 11 days ago. On that occasion, Muftarres just beat Brocklebank and Sunnyside Tom.

There should be precious little to choose between the North Yorkshire-trained trio again, but at the revised weights, it could be that Brocklebank, representing Kevin Ryan, will take the honours this time.

There was a lot to like about the debut performance of Mister Marcasite, trained by Mel Brittain, when he finished second at Newcastle recently.

The son of Verglas should make a bold bid in the Irish Stallion Farms Median Auction Maiden Stakes, but marginal preference is for Silk Scarf, trained at Mark Tompkins at Newmarket, who finished fourth on her local course a couple of weeks ago.

Warthill-based Brittain also has a solid winning chance in the Beverley Middle Distance Series Handicap Final with recent course winner Carragold, but it might be that Granston, who finished third on that occasion, can turn the tables.

Racing selections

York (today)
2.00 Gordon Lord Byron, 2.30 Guarantee, 3.05 Saddler’s Rock, 3.40 Hammerfest (NAP), 4.15 Fire Eyes, 4.50 Simply Shining, 5.20 Almond Branches.

Today’s other meetings: Goodwood, Newmarket, Redcar and Windsor.

Beverley (tomorrow)
1.50 Brocklebank, 2.20 Silk Scarf, 2.55 Sandsend (NAP), 3.30 Ypres, 4.05 Granston, 4.40 Penang Pegasus, 5.10 Aubrietia.

Tomorrow’s other meetings: Goodwood and Yarmouth.