
Joe Fanning booked for Nunthorpe favourite Lady Iman
While trainer Ger Lyons admits he is not usually in favour of running two-year-olds against older horses, he feels Lady Iman has all the right qualities to take on the test, with the services of lightweight Fanning already secured for the Starman filly, who would carry just 8st 2lb on the Knavesmire.
Lyons said: 'I've just booked Joe Fanning to ride her (in the Nunthorpe). Joe sat beside me in the weigh room.
'It's what Roger (O'Callaghan) wants and if she goes and wins the Nunthorpe we'll all be delighted.
'Personally, I don't like seeing babies taking on older horses. If we ever have one to do it's her as she has the temperament, but we have to get there yet.'
Lady Iman is the general 4-1 favourite for the five-furlong contest, with a supplementary entry costing £40,000.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Glasgow Times
2 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Spicy Marg all set to take on her elders in Nunthorpe
An impressive winner on her Newmarket debut in early June, Michael Bell's charge subsequently disappointed in the Queen Mary and the Duchess of Cambridge Stakes, but bounced back to form in some style over five furlongs at Goodwood two weeks ago. As a juvenile filly Spicy Marg will carry just eight stone if she steps up to take on her elders at Group One level on the Knavesmire and Bell is keen to roll the dice. He said: 'The plan is to give it a go. All the speed analysts seem to think she should be having a crack at it – her figures are very, very good – and she clearly is in very good form. 'I think it's very relevant her dam (Main Desire) won two Listed races over five furlongs on the Knavesmire, so it's in her genes she should like the track and I strongly think she will. 'We're very happy with her and very much looking forward to it.' Connections are ready to pay the £40,000 supplementary fee to add Spicy Marg to the Nunthorpe field at the weekend, with Hong Kong-based rider Harry Bentley booked for the ride. 'Harry is waiting for his licence to be rubber-stamped by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, he tells me that's a formality, so the intention is for him to ride,' said Bell, who won the Nunthorpe in 2011 with Margot Did. 'She wants good, fast ground. We'll wait until Saturday to confirm it, but the intention is very much to supplement her at this stage.' Another filly bound for the Nunthorpe is the William Knight-trained Frost at Dawn, who was a neck second to American Affair in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot before finishing fourth in the King George at Goodwood. Knight said: 'She doesn't need to do much between now and then, she's put her weight back on already. 'I just hope and pray the rain stays away at York and if it's good to firm ground there I think she could run a massive race. 'I think she's in the form of her life at the moment, she just looks so much stronger this year, and I think York will really suit her as a track. 'I just think it's key that rain stays away and we get a good preparation from now into York. If she can repeat the form from her Ascot run, that puts her bang there.'

Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Leader Live
More Thunder moving up in class at the weekend
William Haggas' rapidly improving four-year-old won over 10 furlongs for Sir Michael Stoute last season, but his new trainer wasted no time in reverting to sprinting. He won a six-furlong handicap at the Craven meeting off 87, followed up at the Guineas meeting off 92, was beaten a head off 98 in the Wokingham and won the Bunbury Cup over seven furlongs last time out off the same mark. Now up to 103, connections feel it is time to test the water at a higher level, starting with this Group Two contest. Bruce Raymond, racing manager to More Thunder's owner Saeed Suhail, said: 'I can't see why he won't be up to it, he's unlucky not to be unbeaten this season. 'Because he's only been running in handicaps his rating is still pretty low compared to some in the race, but I'd be very disappointed if he wasn't up to this level. 'He's very versatile regarding trip. For now I think seven suits him, but I know his jockey (Tom Marquand) thinks he's at his best over a strong-run six, which is quite hard to believe given Sir Michael started off with him at 10 furlongs.' With More Thunder in action this weekend, Never So Brave, in the same ownership and trained by Andrew Balding, has the Sky Bet City of York Stakes on his agenda. 'He'll be going to the new Group One at York, he's improving with every run and looked good at Ascot,' said Raymond. Also in contention for the Newbury race are Lennox Stakes winner Witness Stand, the Charlie Appleby pair of Notable Speech and Shadow Of Light, Marco Botti's Great Generation and Eve Johnson Houghton's Rage Of Bamby.


South Wales Guardian
2 hours ago
- South Wales Guardian
More Thunder moving up in class at the weekend
William Haggas' rapidly improving four-year-old won over 10 furlongs for Sir Michael Stoute last season, but his new trainer wasted no time in reverting to sprinting. He won a six-furlong handicap at the Craven meeting off 87, followed up at the Guineas meeting off 92, was beaten a head off 98 in the Wokingham and won the Bunbury Cup over seven furlongs last time out off the same mark. Now up to 103, connections feel it is time to test the water at a higher level, starting with this Group Two contest. Bruce Raymond, racing manager to More Thunder's owner Saeed Suhail, said: 'I can't see why he won't be up to it, he's unlucky not to be unbeaten this season. 'Because he's only been running in handicaps his rating is still pretty low compared to some in the race, but I'd be very disappointed if he wasn't up to this level. 'He's very versatile regarding trip. For now I think seven suits him, but I know his jockey (Tom Marquand) thinks he's at his best over a strong-run six, which is quite hard to believe given Sir Michael started off with him at 10 furlongs.' With More Thunder in action this weekend, Never So Brave, in the same ownership and trained by Andrew Balding, has the Sky Bet City of York Stakes on his agenda. 'He'll be going to the new Group One at York, he's improving with every run and looked good at Ascot,' said Raymond. Also in contention for the Newbury race are Lennox Stakes winner Witness Stand, the Charlie Appleby pair of Notable Speech and Shadow Of Light, Marco Botti's Great Generation and Eve Johnson Houghton's Rage Of Bamby.