Awtaad filly Faraah produced a fine turn of foot to get off the mark at Fairyhouse on Monday (September 20).
The success was a ripe reward for owners Phoenix Thoroughbreds and trainer Ado McGuinness with the three-year-old producing her winning turn at the 12th time of asking. A little unlucky in her more recent starts, she wasn’t winning out of turn under an excellent ride from Ronan Whelan.
Let down in the past by her inability to settle, Faraah found a nice rhythm early in the six-furlong race and relaxed nicely. Rounding the bend, she sat on the rail, in fifth or sixth with Whelan projecting confidence in the saddle. It was noticeable that the rider was one of the last to ask questions of his mount as the race got serious, and after he switched the filly to the centre of the track, she flew home to grab the glory with the suggestion of more to come.
“She’s been consistent,” said McGunnuis post-race. “I thought the ground was going to be a little bit quick for her.
“Ronny (Whelan) was kicking himself the last day he rode her and she’d been unlucky previous to that. He gave her a super ride, something to aim at and she just got there. I was delighted and Ronan has done that on a few occasions for me over the past few weeks.
“She was an expensive filly at the sales so at least there is a winning bracket now for breeding. Its job done, but we’ll kick on with her and try and find something similar. She’s in again at Dundalk on Friday night.”
Faraah’s winning performance maintains McGuinness 100% for Phoenix Thoroughbreds, having successful saddled all the horses he’s trained for the Dubai based owners to victory.