Fahey’s Toro ready to strike

Promising youngster looks likely to follow up first victory at Thirsk

TORO STRIKE can hit the target for Al Shaqab Racing and trainer Richard Fahey in the British Stallion Studs EBF Spindrifter Conditions Stakes at Pontefract.

The two-year-old son of top miler Toronado has shown plenty of promise in both his starts so far and is sure to progress further.

He made his debut in a hot six-furlong maiden at Newbury in mid-May and shaped well to take fifth place in a bunch finish behind four highly-touted and impeccably-bred youngsters.

The race was won by Richard Hannon’s Temple Of Heaven, with Aidan O’Brien supplying the second and fourth through Fort Myers and United Front. Charlie Appleby’s Well Of Wisdom was third for Godolphin.

Interestingly, all four ran at Royal Ascot in a variety of races, while, Toro Strike waited for this event after opening his account at Thirsk four weeks ago.

It may not have been the easiest of victories, but he did the majority of the donkey work up front and kept on resolutely to hold The Bell Conductor by a neck. There is surely more to come.

Former jockey Phillip Makin has made a good start to his training career and can strike with SCUZEME in the Geoffrey Oldroyd – A Lifetime In Racing Handicap.

This six-furlong contest is named after a former jockey and trainer based in the north, so victory for Makin’s runner would be appropriate.

Scuzeme has been performing with credit in similar races and appears to relish a stiff finish, which he will certainly get at the West Yorkshire track today.

He did not get the best of runs at Hamilton last time out when sent off favourite but stayed on well to finish a close fifth, and can recoup losses.

CALE LANE went close on her seasonal reappearance over this six furlongs in early May, and can improve on that in the Napoleon’s Casino Bradford Fillies’ Handicap.