Fahey and Hanagan enjoy Carlisle double
Richard Fahey warmed up for Royal Ascot in the best possible style as he and stable jockey Paul Hanagan enjoyed a double at Carlisle.
The Malton handler is enjoying a fantastic campaign and he is preparing a strong team for the journey south as he bids to add to his two previous winners at the summer showpiece meeting.
Hanagan secured his first Royal winner on Fahey's Cosmic Sun 12 months ago and he too could hardly be in better form at this crucial stage of the season.
The pair first got off the mark for the day with Emerald Girl, who ran out a cosy winner of the Barrow Central WMC Magner's Fillies' Handicap.
The 3-1 chance was settled towards the rear by Hanagan and as the leaders began to fall away, Emerald Girl stayed on strongly to score by a length and a quarter.
The pair went on to repeat the trick in the Cricketers At Blackhill Coors Light Handicap as the consistent Bajan Pride (7-2) also won with a degree of authority.
"It's always nice to have winners and the pair of them did it well," said Fahey.
"I haven't been 100% comfortable with the older horses so it's nice the two of them won today.
"We're looking forward to Royal Ascot and while it's always very tough down there, I think we've got our best ever team for the meeting this year.
"I think we've got a nice bunch for the two-year-old races and the one I particularly like is Honeymead, who runs in the Albany Stakes on Friday.
"She actually won at Carlisle first time out and is a really sweet filly."
There was a shock result to the Blucher Social Club Caffrey's Maiden Auction Stakes as 40-1 chance Tro Nesa made a winning debut for Ann Duffield.
Sophie's Hero was sent off the hot favourite but could only finish fourth as Tro Nesa responded to Royston Ffrench's urgings to score by a length and a quarter.
"It isn't a massive surprise as she's a nice little horse and we knew she'd win something," said Duffield.
"It's always very difficult first time out as you never quite know what they'll do and you never know how good some of the others are.
"But give her her due, she's stuck on really well and she was very game.
"We'll see how she comes out of this and head her towards a novice race somewhere, but she should get further.
"It's a fantastic result for her owners because as well as her prize-money, she also gets a £10,000 yearling bonus and the £5,000 breeze-up bonus."
Ailsa Craig recorded her first win since being snapped up by Edwin Tuer for 5,500 guineas in the Bedlington Station Worthington's Handicap.
Sent off at 8-1 having gone without a victory since scoring for Richard Hannon last August, the four-year-old was settled close to the pace by Tony Hamilton as Call Of Duty cut out much of the running.
As the latter began to tire, Ailsa Craig went to the front halfway up the straight and was kept up to her work to pass the post two and three-quarter lengths ahead of Classic Descent.
There was a thrilling finish to the King's Arms At Stainton Carling Handicap and it was Comptonspirit who edged out the well-supported Hazelrigg.
The latter travelled much the best entering the final furlong but Comptonspirit (12-1) appeared to want it more and was declared the winner by a nose after a photo finish.
The Holmeside Hall Labour Club Grolsch Claiming Stakes looked a match on paper between Cobo Bay and Fremen and it was the former who came out on top in emphatic fashion.
Sent off at 11-10 after finishing third in a better race at Ripon last time, Kevin Ryan's charge was sent straight to the head of affairs by Jamie Spencer and eased to a nine-length win ahead of Night Knight.
Fremen was chasing a remarkable seventh straight victory but had to settle for third.
The Tim Easterby-trained Ryedane (11-8) completed a hat-trick in division one of the Workington Royal British Legion Stone's Handicap, while division two went the way of Red China Blues (14-1).
