Joe Fanning’s summer success continued as he produced a textbook ride to win the Old Newton Cup Handicap aboard Wootton’Sun for trainer Richard Fahey at Haydock.
The veteran rider is famed for his judgement of pace from the front but on this occasion, after a brief flirtation with the early lead, was happy to take up a stalking position behind Cumulonimbus. This duo would dominate much of the remainder of a contest that was decimated by six non-runners, five of whom were pulled out due to the ground being unsuitable.
Wootton'Sun ranged up to the leader two and a half furlongs out before pressing on into a narrow advantage a furlong from home. Scampi emerged from the pack to deliver a challenge late on, but Fanning had kept enough up his sleeve to triumph by half a length. To his credit, Cumulonimbus stuck on to hold third in a busy finish.
For the 52-year-old Fanning, this was the latest scrapbook entry in a fairytale return from serious injury. He missed the second half of 2022 with a shoulder problem, but now sits behind only William Buick and Oisin Murphy in the Jockeys Championship, with more than 50 winners on the board this calendar year at a strike rate in excess of 20%. He had previously won the Old Newton Cup for long-time ally Mark Johnston on Rainbow Rebel in 2018.
Fahey was celebrating his first victory in the race, but he might not have even had a runner had things panned out a little differently. Wootton'Sun was second reserve when initial declarations were made for the prestigious handicap but crept into the field on Friday. The son of Wootton Bassett took full advantage of his late ticket, rewarding connections to the tune of a £77,310 first prize.
He said: "To be very honest when we were second reserve, Steve [Bradley, owner] rang me and wanted to book a jockey and I said 'Steve, we've no chance of getting in'! It couldn't have worked out better in the end as Joe was available, he had a lightweight and to win feels like a 'Brucey bonus'.
Despite being an eleventh-hour addition to the final field, Fahey revealed that this victory was the culmination of a long-term plan.
He went on: "It was a race that we had in mind at the beginning of the season, we felt he could definitely improve if he could sneak in and it's worked out fantastically. That was his Derby so it's great it worked out."
The Musley Bank maestro has done particularly well to orchestrate this success, as Wootton'Sun's progression into the winner of such a high-profile contest did not always seem likely.
He failed to win in four starts as a two-year-old and took his opening handicap last year from a mark of 74. However, he has made steady progress since being gelded midway through last summer and was deservedly winning from a perch of 85 at Haydock this afternoon.
