Scudamore says: “Mountain King has some decent bits of form”

Coral horse racing ambassador Tom Scudamore is mainly in action at Stratford this weekend, but also partners Next Sensation at Kempton. Here, he blogs exclusively on his weekend rides.

In the first at Stratford at 2.05 I ride May Hay for Anthony Carson. I was second on her last time and she ran a decent race that day around this course. We probably have Midnight Jazz to beat but I think we have a good chance.

I’m riding for Gordon Elliot in the second on Tajseer at 2.40. He won the time before last. We probably have Angus Glens to beat but anything Gordon sends over you’ve got to give a good chance to. He runs two in the race so hopefully he’s put me on the right one. Angus Glens does look the one to beat on form.

“Mountain King has some decent bits of form”

Mountain King is one of Tom Scudamore’s weekend rides at Stratford.

I have another mount for Gordon in the 3.15 on Mountain King. He won at Perth last time. It probably wasn’t the greatest of races but the handicapper hasn’t over-reacted. He has some decent bits of form. It looks a decent little race and Mont Royale is probably the one to beat but Mountain King must have a good chance. He’s probably my best ride of the day.

I’ve ridden a lot of winners for Gordon over the years. He’s a very successful trainer and a good man and I always enjoy riding for him.
Mahlers Star, my ride in the 3.50 for David Bridgwater, has been a little bit disappointing. He ran better than the result last time at Warwick. You can make a case for him on one or two bits of form but he really does need to bounce back. It’s up to him now.

In the 4.55 I’m om Amalfi Dug. He looks like he has a lot to find on his bumper form. It’s my first ride for Tom Lacey so hopefully he can run well and we can make a good new connection, but on all known form he’s got to improve.

I will try and watch some of the races from Champions Day at Ascot, but realistically with five rides tomorrow, I’ll watch most of it back in the evening. I really want to see Found against Almanzor, and I enjoy watching all the big flat races. The Prix De L’Arc De Triomphe is my favourite flat race of the year.

“The ground and the conditions should suit Next Sensation”

Next Sensation is Scudamore’s main Sunday mount.

On Sunday I’m riding Next Sensation at Kempton for my brother and I think he’ll win again. The ground and the conditions should suit him. The trip is two miles and two furlongs which I think will be absolutely ideal. He’s not the horse he was but the handicapper has been fair on him, and a horse he beat has since come out and won. He will probably have to step up a bit on what he achieved at Newton Abbot last time but I think the course and trip will suit him. He’s been put up 5lbs so would he have won last time with an additional 5lbs? I don’t know. But given the conditions will be in his favour on Sunday I’m optimistic. I think he’ll be hard to beat.

It’s his first run at Kempton. We haven’t really gone right handed that much with him. A lot of the races at Kempton just didn’t fall right for him. We couldn’t run in the conditions races because he wasn’t good enough to take on the likes of Sire De Grugy and Sprinter Sacre, while his handicap mark was always too high for the 0-140s and 0-135s that Kempton stages. So now he has been able to get into a race there I’m really looking forward to riding him at the track. He isn’t the horse he was but he’s still very good, and he’s been a star for us.

He gave me the best day of my career winning on him at the Cheltenham Festival for my brother. I don’t think there will be anything I ever do that will give me the pleasure that that day did. It was phenomenal.

I’m looking forward to Cheltenham next week. It’s not beyond the realms of possibility that Thistlecrack could go there depending on the ground. He’s ready to go and we just need the conditions for him. I don’t know what David Pipe has planned to run there but it will also be ground dependent. He’s been a bit quiet just because of the ground as so many stables have been. We have some lovely horses ready to go and we just need some rain.

Tom

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