Johnston Sweet On McCartney Chance

Mark Johnston believes his Champagne Stakes winner McCartney is entitled to take his chance in tomorrow's Darley Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket.

The In The Wings colt created a huge impression when slamming a quality field at Doncaster by an easy two and a half lengths and he had previously beaten a subsequent Group One winner, Scintillo, at Salisbury.

And the Middleham trainer, who has handled leading juveniles such as Attraction, Shamardal and Lucky Story recently, thinks the Sheikh Mohammed-owned colt will run a big race.

'It looks a cracking race on paper and he should run a huge race,' said Johnston.

'You can never be quietly confident at this level or at any level really. You normally look for the easiest possible race and that is not what we have done.

'We haven't ducked the issue and it looks very tough, it couldn't look much tougher frankly, but he's very much entitled to be there. He couldn't have done any more.

'His Champagne Stakes win could not have been more impressive and conditions look like being spot-on for him.

'I've been lucky enough to train some very good juveniles in the past and though he didn't quite show he was going to be this good as early as some, that might have something to do with the fact that we were slower to come to hand this season.

'He did stand out from the string from an early stage though.

'Ryan (Moore) was very impressed with him (at Doncaster) and mentioned the Racing Post Trophy straight afterwards as he thought we would be going down that route, but we warned him some time ago we would be going for the Dewhurst.

'I do know that he had the choice of another ride in the Dewhurst but he chose McCartney.

'The ground shouldn't bother him but we wouldn't mind if it dried out as I always believe you get a truer race on better ground.'

While Jimmy Fortune is relishing the prospect of teaming up with Raven's Pass again, he admits tomorrow's race will answer a lot of questions with regard to the future.

'I'm really looking forward to riding him again,' said Fortune.

'I rode him in a piece of work last weekend and he's fit, well and happy ? it's just whether he is good enough or not now.

'I don't think the ground will bother him too much, as long as it's not too soft and it doesn't look like it is going to be.

'Good to soft should be fine and it's going to be run on fresh ground ? it's the second race on the card which should help as well.

'After he won at Ascot by five lengths he went on to Sandown where I probably expected him to win, but not by seven lengths and it could have been further.

'The manner in which he won certainly surprised me.

'He's quite a lazy horse at home, he doesn't really do that much and you don't get too many clues but the form of his last race is working out well.

'He hasn't taken on any Group One horses yet though and the big test comes tomorrow but I'd be hopeful.'

Brian Meehan has been delighted with the form of Fast Company ahead of the race.

The unbeaten Danehill Dancer colt created a nice impression when routing the opposition in the Acomb Stakes at York on only his second outing.

He has been saved for this contest ever since.

'He's been in very good form since the Acomb and seems in good form with himself ? we've all been very, very pleased with him,' said Meehan.

'We'll see what racing does to the ground on Friday but I'm confident that he can handle the give underfoot,' he told Racing UK.

(C) PA Sport