Lawman's Forest Ranger Doubles Up in the Huxley

   Helen Steel's Forest Ranger (Ire) (Lawman {Fr}) registered a career high in last year's renewal of Chester's G2 Homeserve Huxley S. and the Richard Fahey trainee repeated the dose in Friday's latest edition at the Roodeye. The gelded bay went postward as a 9-2 chance, coming back off a second to Zabeel Prince (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) in his defence of Newmarket's Apr. 18 G3 Earl of Sefton S. last time, and broke sharply to race on the lead early. Restrained in second passing the judge first time as Success Days (Ire) (Jeremy) set the tempo, he was stoked up for his challenge rounding the home turn and driven out once gaining an advantage at the furlong marker to hold the late bid of Matterhorn (Ire) (Raven's Pass) by 3/4-of-a-length. The long-time leader finished 1 1/4 lengths adrift in third. “It was good viewing and, on paper, you would have to say it was better than last year, but I'm not really bothered,” said Fahey. “He is a legend, he cost us just £20,000 and has taken us everywhere. We found out last year, after winning a Group 2, it will be hard to place him. We won't be running in the [G1] Eclipse [at Sadown] again. He carried the penalty at Newmarket at the back-end last year and ran a good race. I think we will look abroad as he is not good enough for the Group 1s here. We will have saddle and travel somewhere.”
   Forest Ranger is one of four winners from as many runners and the leading performer out of Listed Prix Occitanie victress Alava (Ire) (Anabaa) and he is kin to Listed Fleur de Lys Fillies' S. third Home Cummins (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}), a 2-year-old colt by Motivator (GB) and a yearling filly by Dream Ahead. Alava, herself a half-sister to Listed Prix Georges Trabaud runner-up Almageur (GB) (Spectrum {Ire}), hails from a family featuring GI Personal Ensign H. heroine Passing Shot (A.P. Indy).

Friday, Chester, Britain
HOMESERVE HUXLEY S.-G2, £125,000, Chester, 5-10, 4yo/up, 10f 70yT, 2:16.26, sf.
1–FOREST RANGER (IRE), 127, g, 5, by Lawman (Fr)
1st Dam: Alava (Ire) (SW-Fr), by Anabaa
2nd Dam: Cerita (Ire), by Wolfhound
3rd Dam: Tanapa (Fr), by Luthier (Fr)
(26,000gns Ylg '15 TAOCT). O-Mrs Helen Steel; B-Yeguada de Milagro SA (IRE); T-Richard Fahey; J-Tony Hamilton. £70,888. Lifetime Record: 18-5-4-2, $463,846. *1/2 to Home Cummins (Ire) (Rip Van Winkle {Ire}), SP-Eng, $128,249. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Matterhorn (Ire), 127, c, 4, Raven's Pass–Tanaghum (GB), by Darshaan (GB). (70,000gns Wlg '15 TATFOA). O-Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum; B-Barronstown Stud (IRE); T-Mark Johnston. £26,875.
3–Success Days (Ire), 127, h, 7, Jeremy–Malaica (Fr), by Roi Gironde (Ire). O-Robert Ng; B-Robert Ng & Dermot Farrington (IRE); T-Ken Condon. £13,450.
Margins: 3/4, 1 1/4, 3/4. Odds: 4.50, 1.85, 7.00.
Also Ran: Addeybb (Ire), Gabrial (Ire), Chief Ironside (GB). Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. Video, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.