Richard Fahey on his Royal Ascot 2024 team including Malc in the Commonwealth Cup.

I was disappointed with Shadow Army in the Windsor Castle on Wedesday. He was doing everything right at home going into it and I was expecting a big run but it just didn’t happen for him on the day.

He came out of the race fine, which is the main thing, and you can obviously have days like this at Ascot. It was the case with The Platinum Queen in the Queen Mary two years ago, she ran no race but we built her back up and she went on to be the horse we thought she was.

The plan is to do the same with Shadow Army.

He’s got to really step up to win a Buckingham Palace but if he can get back to the sort of level he showed when winning at Sandown last year, well that would give him a bit of a squeak. He needed the run on his reappearance at Doncaster the other day and has come forward for it. He’ll give it his best.

There are positives for him going into the Commonwealth Cup. Firstly, he ran a mighty race when placed in the Norfolk here last season and we are very, very pleased with him at home.

He’s the best we’ve ever had him right now. Whether that’s good enough to win might be another matter but a few of the fancied horses have come out and it isn’t quite as deep a race as it was looking at one stage. He has produced his best ever pieces of work in the build-up.

I don’t think there’s a lot between my two in the closing Palace Of Holyrood House Stakes.

Airman was in the London Sale here earlier in the week but didn’t sell. He’s a horse I’ve always liked and I think he’s been crying out for five furlongs on this sort of ground. He gets it here and I’m looking forward to seeing him run.

Dark Vintage is a horse we’ve been getting to know since he came over from America. I thought he ran well over a sharp five at York last time and the stiffer track at Ascot will suit him well. I hope he can hang onto them as he’s one who’ll be coming home well.

He has to step up on what he’s shown so far to win a Jersey but the last race at Epsom, when touched off by Evade, will have done him the world of good. It’s the first time in his life he’s been involved in a battle like that, he’d either won easily or things hadn’t gone right before.

I like the way he hung in there and kept trying and galloping. I’m happy that seven furlongs is his trip, especially the stiff seven here, that will really suit him.

17:05 Strike Red

All his best form has been on slower ground but he loves these big handicaps, he relishes them, He goes there very fit and very well. I might be the only person at Ascot on Saturday who hopes one of the thunderstorms arrives to get some juice into the ground. He handles a quick surface but his best form is definitely when it’s a little easier.

He’s quite a laidback horse who will need the experience, a run will do him the world of good. He does so show something though and will races but whether he’ll be tuned in to do so on debut we’ll have to see. He’s been a little backward and the first day won’t be lost on him.

He’s a half-brother to Malc and there are plenty of similarities between them. He goes well at home, I really like him and would like to see him run very well.

17:25 Eminent Jewel

I thought she did well to win at Wetherby last time. She’s up four pounds but this is low grade stuff and I’d expect her to run another good race.

19:25 Rainwater

He’s been disappointing as he was a horse we did really like early on. It just hasn’t happened yet but the handicapper has given him a chance with an opening mark of 73. It’s a big day for him.

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