Fanshawe and Queally on cloud nine as Higher Power strikes

Higher Power indeed – there certainly seems to have been someone looking and smiling on James Fanshawe and Tom Queally in the past week.

Last Saturday they reminded everyone that The Tin Man is arguably the best older sprinter around by landing the Diamond Jubilee Stakes in a flurry of speed.

Seven days on stamina was put to the test and another five-year-old provided all the answers.

Higher Power was backed from a best-priced 9-1 in the morning into 11-2 on the off as punters digested the merit of his Sandown second to subsequent Gold Cup winner Big Orange in May.

And that formline proved golden once again as he landed a second Northumberland Plate for his trainer, defying second topweight 22 years after Bold Gait's success for a man who may be based in Newmarket but has very fond memories of the north-east.

"I love it up here as my first job in racing was with George Fairbairn," he said. "I had a really good year with him."

Higher Power is owned and bred by Fanshawe's sister Rose and he added: "When things go like this, you can't really believe it. It's been a fantastic week. I keep pinching myself, it's wonderful.

"Higher Power has always been a nice horse and the Sandown race worked out very well. We didn't run him at Ascot because of the firm ground and we kept him for this.

"He's got good form on the all-weather and he has a bit of class – it's easy to say afterwards but they can carry the weight when they have a bit of class."

He had the staying power

Trainer and jockey were keen to make plenty of use of the gelding's proven stamina, which proved a wise move as few of the 20 runners got into contention for the £150,000 handicap.

"He stays, that's the important thing, so we decided we were going to make sure we got a position and that helps in a race like this as you're not going to be messed around by back markers," Fanshawe said.

Queally added: "I was a little bit worried heading into the first bend as he was stuck a little wide but Paul Hanagan kicked on on Champagne Champ and that opened things up. I sat third in the race and I was able to ride it like a piece of work, keeping it simple."

The jockey was full of praise for the way that Fanshawe has campaigned Higher Power, who has been brought along steadily and was having only the twelfth race of his life.

"James isn't a one size fits all trainer," he said. "Each horse has an individual plan and this is no exception. He ran him in a Group race and he got a hike in the weights but he'd probably have got more of a hike if he'd won a handicap impressively so there is method to his madness."

Up in class

Handicaps are now likely to be a thing of the past for Higher Power.

"We'll go for black type now," Fanshawe said, "He's in the Goodwood Cup but that might come a bit quick, we may go for an autumn campaign.

"He is owned and bred by my sister and it's really good for them as well. They've had horses with me for a long time and they've allowed me to be patient with him, which has been the answer to it."

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