Newmarket-based Belgian starts training career at Wolverhampton

James Fanshawe's former assistant Kevin Philippart de Foy will break new ground when he saddles his first runner as a trainer at Wolverhampton on Sunday.

The 29 year-old Belgian, who spent five years as understudy at Pegasus Stables, is operating out of Newmarket yard Machell Place, where he will start off with 25 horses.

De Foy's chances of making a winning start to his new career have been done no favours as his representative Golden Cygnet, whom he also owns, must break from the widest draw in stall 12 in division one of the 1m½f handicap (4.30).

De Foy, who rode the mighty Treve during his time with Criquette Head, said: "It's great to be getting started and most of our older horses will be running on the all-weather as the plan is to get some winners on the board this winter.

"It's a tough time to be starting out, but the plan has always been to start training before I was 30 and I've stuck to it. Hopefully, owners will generally get a better time next year with Covid-19 and will be able to come along to our lovely yard, which has 37 big boxes and has been refurbished by owner Colin Murfitt."

De Foy's Machell Place stables has housed racehorses since 1884

After leaving his native Belgium, De Foy spent time with Head before going to the US to act as understudy to Christophe Clement. The latter then set him up with a job with Fanshawe, whose previous assistants include Charlie Fellowes.

As for his chances of getting off the mark at the first time of asking, De Foy added: "I've been to Wolverhampton enough times to know stall 12 out of the seven-furlong chute is not the best draw. Hopefully Golden Cygnet can run a nice first race for us and pick up a win over the coming few weeks."

The three-year-old, who was bred by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall and has yet to score from four outings, shares a name with one of the most famous hurdlers in history.

Vincent O'Brien described the Edward O'Grady-trained star as the best hurdler he had ever seen after victory in the 1978 Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham extended his unbeaten record over hurdles to six.

But a month later Golden Cygnet's brilliant career came to a tragic end after he suffered a fatal fall at the last flight in the Scottish Champion Hurdle at Ayr when upsides Night Nurse.

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