Jamie says Koora and King Cole are his best Saturday hopes

Looking back at Champions Day, Maarek could never get into it in the Sprint. It wasn’t run to suit. They went too steady. He could have done with the ground a good bit softer but there is no doubting that the winner was very impressive and is a Champion sprinter through and through.

The Corsican ran well for a long way. I had a good position but we went very fast and it turned into a slog, so it probably suited the horses that were held up. I thought the pace maker would go and then slow up the pace when we went round Swinley Bottom but the pace held up. All the soft ground horses came to the fore so it was just one of those things. He ran a good race and he’s in for a good year next year.

I’m riding at Newbury and then Chelmsford today, and my first ride is High Hopes in the 1.20pm for David. I haven’t sat on her before, and we’re not at that point of the season where we are getting them all out and running them. David has run a lot of two year olds lately and had a winner at Newbury yesterday, so we’ll just give it a go and see how she goes.

In the 2.25pm I’m on Koora for Luca Cumani. She had a good start to the season. I won a maiden on her at Doncaster and then she was second in The Galtres at York. She was a little disappointing at Doncaster when she didn’t stay in The Park Hill. Back at a mile and a half on an easy surface should be perfect for her.

I ride Chiringuita in the 3.35pm for James Bethell. I had a good run on her at Ripon but this race today is a tough call. However we are trying to get some black type for her so this is the race to run in and see if we can get placed. My last ride at Newbury then is Great Thoughts in the 4.10pm. She didn’t show much at Nottingham on her debut so this is a case of getting another race into her to see if she’s benefitted from that experience. It’s definitely a watching brief as it looks a warm race.

Then I’m off to Chelmsford where I ride King Cole for Robert Cowell in the 6.40pm. I rode work on him at the track and he’s a huge big horse. He’s got plenty of pace. He’ll probably be a six or seven furlong horse next year but Robert is just keen to get him going. We have a nice draw in one and if he can get through the first half of the race without being too green I would have thought he’s better than these. We’ll see how it goes.

In the 7.10pm I’m on Apostle. He’s been running OK all year but without shining so he’s become well handicapped. This could be his night. He likes to go forward and has a reasonable draw, so he goes there with a decent chance.

Born To Be Bad is my mount in the 8.10pm. I’ve only ridden him once, when I won on him at Doncaster. We’ll just have to see. He likes the surface and he gets the trip well, and he’s back on his last winning mark, so must have a good chance.

In terms of my best chances King Cole is probably the horse with the most potential but Apostle is very solid. However I like Koora a lot too now she’s got soft ground to race on. She hasn’t had proper soft ground yet, so she’ll love the surface. I think she’s got a great chance on this ground.

The season’s no starting to wind down here, and I’m happy with how it’s gone. I’ve had a reasonable number of good winners over the second half of the season particularly, so roll on next year. I’ll take a break and then it starts all over again at the end of January. Next week is one to look forward to with Breeders Cup and then Melbourne Cup. It’s always good to take part in those big international meetings. I’ve ridden at Keeneland a couple of times. It’s a tight turf track, but not as tight as Santa Anita. I’m not sure what the weather has been like but it will definitely be cold and I just hope the rain stays away.

American Pharoah has very little to answer in the Breeders Cup Classic . He just got softened up last time by Frosted, and if Victor Espinosa can get a middle draw that will help, rather than an inside draw where your hand is forced a little. If he can ride him like California Chrome ran last year, three wide the whole way, he can be in control of when he wants to go, and that will make it a lot easier for him. The draw is a big deal for him.

I would have thought Golden Horn is unbeatable given what he’s got to race against. The American turf horses are never very strong. Found has to be dropped in, so Keeneland won’t be easy for her running style. She’s had a tough campaign over the last few weeks, running in The Champion Stakes.

I ride Mirage in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. I won on her at Brighton for Jamie Osborne, and then Fitri Hay bought her at the Goff Sale before Royal Ascot. She has a good pedigree and she’s gone to Simon Callaghan. She’s had one run for Simon and came second in a Group Three but she should have won but got knocked over. She goes there with a chance.

Jamie