Barefoot Lady stakes claim for place in 1000 Guineas

Newmarket has not been the most fruitful of hunting grounds for Richard Fahey but he left the opening day of the Craven meeting with two of the big-race winners.

Top of the list financially was the success of Sir Reginald in the 150,000 Tattersalls Millions 3-Y-O Sprint, although the continually-improving Yorkshire trainer could now have a 1000 Guineas runner after the effort of Barefoot Lady in the Lanwades Stud Nell Gwyn Stakes.

Classics had not really been considered before his filly appeared in this noted trial and the 14-1 shot was hardly an obvious candidate on her two-year-old form.

However, she really hit her stride late on under Paul Hanagan to edge past Aidan O'Brien's hot favourite Sing Softly and the useful John Gosden runner Maqaasid in the shadow of the post.

"I was one (victory] from 60 runners here in recent years, it's not been the best, but this has been a very good day," said Malton-based Fahey.

"She's only slight but Paul said they don't get any tougher. I have to talk to her owner (Norman Steel] about supplementing her, but he's keen.

"The trip was a question mark today but, on that showing, she should get a mile. I've only had a runner in the Oaks before, not the Guineas, so we're not used to all this."

Hanagan said: "She's very tough. She did it the hard way as well, as we were drawn wide and couldn't get in and get cover - it's difficult to win like that.

"I think she'll get a mile okay, with a better draw over a mile you'd be able to ride a bit of a race on her."

Sir Reginald (4-1) had earlier provided compensation to Fahey and owner Jim McGrath (the Channel 4 broadcaster) for a few disappointments.

Hanagan looked to have things under control from a fair way out, swooping down the outside with a furlong to run to win by three-quarters of a length from Madany, who did not have a great passage through.

"He was basically sold to Hong Kong but he had a tiny little cyst, which meant he couldn't go there," Fahey explained.

"We tried to win the sales races with him last year and he's finally hit the jackpot and Jim wins 83,000 today.

"Gelding him over the winter has helped and this has been the target for a long time - it was his Derby."

Hanagan added: "That was absolutely brilliant as I thought whatever he did today he would come on for it. I liked him a lot last season but he was very immature."

Pausanias (100-30), who is part-owned by Sir Alex Ferguson, gave Richard Hannon his fifth victory in the Bet At bluesq.com European Free Handicap.The Listed race is generally one of the weakest of the Classic trials but the consistent Pausanias is expected to progress further from this decisive length defeat of Rerouted.

"I was worried the ground might be too fast for him, and whether he'd cope with seven furlongs as he really wants a mile," said Hannon.

"He'll come on a lot for that. I'm not sure what he'll do, but he's in the German Guineas and that could be a race he ends up in."

Today Yaseer can throw down the Classic gauntlet by claiming first prize in the Breeze Up Vendors Craven Stakes.

Marcus Tregoning's colt is full of promise, winning with authority at Kempton in December to confirm the good impression he had created when second on his debut.

Together should also go well for Aidan O'Brien in the 250,000 Tattersalls Millions 3-Y-O Trophy.

Narrowly beaten in the Fillies' Mile, her season finished with a creditable fifth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and something like her best form should be good enough.