This year Malton-based Fahey has already posted eight Knavesmire winners – two more than fellow Yorkshire-based handler Kevin Ryan and Yorkshireman-in-exile, William Haggas.

The two-day finale meeting gets underway this Friday with the Musley Bank stable likely to be represented in many of the remaining 14 races.

Having won his last ‘Top Trainer’ crown in 2018, Fahey is keen to reclaim it, especially as a landmark figure is within touching distance.

Talking at the Newmarket sales today and within earshot of one of his title rivals, Fahey joked: “I was just giving Kevin and the lads a chance there for the last few years!

He added: “It wasn’t through choice that I haven’t been leading trainer. I’ve been trying every year but just didn’t have the horses.

“It would be great to get 10 (titles). It hasn’t been on my mind, I’ll be honest. But to get 10 would be fantastic.”

It would mark yet another achievement in Fahey’s longstanding love-affair with York, where he has enjoyed so many successes down the years.

Fahey said: “It’s my favourite course – I’ve never made a secret of that. It’s 25 minutes down the road, the facilities are fantastic, the owners love going there.

“It’s a racecourse where we don’t have to look after the owners. The racecourse does everything for us.”

Of his eight triumphs at the track this season, Spirit Dancer has recorded two. The six-year-old won a Sky Bet backed Handicap in July and then delivered three wins in a month, with a surging success in the Group 3 Sky Bet and Symphony Group Strensall Stakes at the Ebor Festival.

Fahey said: “It was a huge performance that day, stepping up in grade. But he had been working his way to that grade.

“It was probably the manner in which he won – it was very impressive. But it was just great that he won.”

Fahey is still finalising his team for the two valuable cards at York but confirmed: “We‘ll be looking to run plenty, definitely.”

If Fahey is successful in again becoming ‘Top Trainer’ at York, his stable will receive £2,500 as well as a Christmas Party at York, he will also be able to put a tenth pair of Charles Clinkard shoes in his wardrobe.

The race to finish Living North Magazine Top Jockey at York is led by William Buick with eight wins, one clear of Rossa Ryan. Though neither rider looks likely to be in action on the Knavesmire this week.

York’s final meeting of the year gets underway at 2.05pm on Friday. The curtain comes down on Saturday with the feature race being the Coral Sprint Trophy, a £100,000 heritage handicap.