James Fanshawe admits he feels in a 'privileged' position as he gets ready to saddle his first Epsom Derby runner in 33 years when Ambiente Friendly bids for Classic glory on Saturday.
A multiple Group 1 winning trainer across the globe, James Fanshawe is no stranger to enjoying success on the biggest stage, but the Epsom Classic still eludes the Pegasus Stables-handler, who saddled his only Derby runner to date in 1991 when impressive Dante Stakes winner Environment Friend finished eleventh of thirteen.
Just as he did 33 years ago, it will be owner Bill Gredley who will once again provide James Fanshawe with his latest Derby candidate and Fanshawe was quick to admit he feels privileged by the opportunity.
"It's a real privilege to have a horse good enough to be going to the Derby with a chance," Fanshawe said on a media call hosted by the Jockey Club and the British Champions Series on Tuesday.
"The yard is up for the challenge and everyone's doing their best. Hopefully, everyone is paying attention and I'm being nice to them! The build-up to the Derby is obviously really important and it's probably the most important race that we've had a runner in.
"We're trying to go with the flow and make sure the last four days go smoothly, while also taking in what a special occasion it is because the Derby is the premier Classic, we've got to remember that, and we're really thrilled to be having a runner in it.
"If I didn't say I wasn't a little bit more on edge I'd be lying, you react to things a little bit differently than you would normally.
"I try not to drink too much coffee and that sort of stuff, but I'm always a good sleeper. I may wake up a bit early in the morning, but sleeping is not a problem – I've got lots of other problems, but not sleeping!"
A winner on his debut at Leicester last season, the Gredley-owned colt would go on to finish third behind fellow Epsom contender Ancient Wisdom in the Group 3 Autumn Stakes at Newmarket last season. The Gleneagles colt raced freely when fourth in the Newmarket's Feilden Stakes on his April return, but proved he was capable of mixing it with the best when running out a facile winner of the Lingfield Derby Trial on his first outing over a middle-distance.
With winning form over a trip near to what he'll face at Epsom and his proven ability to go left-handed around a bend, James Fanshawe believes his contender has a lot of the right attributes to face the test that awaits him at Epsom on Saturday.
He added: "He's won his trial well, over the trip, and he seems to have come out of the race in good shape,"
"I think it's an open race. If you said to me, that we were going to win the Lingfield Derby Trial by four and a half lengths before the race, I would obviously have been enthusiastic about that.
"The way he went round the corners over that mile and a half, it seemed to bring out the best in him. He was 66-1 for the Derby before Lingfield, but he stayed and won it really well in a really good time, so we've done our test.
"There will be horses that ran in the trials that will improve no end for the run. It's been a wet and cold spring, and some strings are in better form now than they were during the trials, so there'll be lots of people going there thinking their horse has improved and they've got a good chance.
With forecasts around Epsom up in the air at present, conditions look uncertain, but should the ground turn soft Fanshawe is hopeful Ambiente Friendly can remain a major force. He said: "When he won at Leicester, admittedly it was only over seven furlongs, he won that really well and that was pretty testing ground, and it was soft ground in the Autumn Stakes. Hopefully, the ground is not too much of a problem for him."
One thing that will be new for Ambiente Friendly this weekend will be his jockey after the news broke last week that owner Bill Gredley will prefer the "more experienced" Rab Havlin to Callum Shepherd, who expertly steered the three-year-old to success at Lingfield on his last start. "Rab came in and rode him after the news broke and came again on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and again this morning. He seems to get on with him well and they have a good rapport," explained Fanshawe.
Havlin was onboard Ambiente Friendly for his final serious piece of work on Sunday, which took place on Newmarket's Round Course gallop due to the more favoured summer Limekilns gallops being shut because of the weather.
Fanshawe added: "I'm very happy with Ambiente Friendly. He did a final bit of work on the round gallop over an extended mile on Sunday morning. It wasn't a strenuous piece of work but was just what I wanted to cover the ground and I was very happy with the way he went. Post gallop, he seems very well."
The historic Pegasus Stables was built by five-time Derby-winning jockey Fred Archer in 1884 and the greatest jockey of the 19th century is believed to still haunt the yard to this very day. "Fred built the yard and he's still around, so he's been giving good advice hopefully! He won the Derby five times, so he's got some experience," said the current occupier. "A long time ago the lads actually did get him up on a Ouija board, I don't know how it worked, but they got him, and he told them that Unblest was going to win, and she did at 6-4."
However, Fanshawe is opting for the more standard approach as he prepares for Epsom on Saturday and said he won't be attempting to relink with Archer.
He said: "I'd rather keep the excitement of not knowing the result and let everything take its course."
