Crowley calls it: “Gabr can outrun his odds at Doncaster”

Champion Jockey shares his thoughts

Jim’s Saturday rides at Doncaster

1.45 – Mutaaqeb

I rode Mutaaqeb when he won first time up at Yarmouth, but it wasn’t a strong race and it hasn’t worked out particularly brilliantly, so this is a big step up and he’ll need to go forward quite a bit to figure. 

You never know with two-year-olds, especially at this time of year, they can go forward on their second start, so hopefully he will.

2.55 – Reshoun         

I’m on Reshoun in this, he’s owned by a good friend of mine, Michael Watt, and he gave me a nice ride at Glorious Goodwood, and has been knocking on the door since then. 

Because of those runs he has gone up in the weights, but the ground should be OK for him here, and I hope he’ll run another nice race for Michael.

3.25 – Gabr

The last Group One of the season here and I’m on Gabr for the boss, Sheikh Hamdan. 

He was second in a good maiden at the Ebor meeting, and then won at Yarmouth, and the form of the race has already been franked by the second, Istanbul Sultan. 

This is obviously a big step up in class, taking on some very smart two-year-olds, and the race wouldn’t have been on my mind until I got a call to go and ride him in work, and that piece of work was very, very good. 

As a result of that, I don’t think he’s a 25-1 shot for this race and he could well outrun those odds, while Sir Michael Stoute wouldn’t be running him here if he didn’t think he had a decent chance. 

By Intello, whatever he does here he’ll make for a lovely three-year-old, but I really was pleasantly surprised by the feel he gave me in that piece of work, he really felt like he’d come on from the Yarmouth run.

4.35 – Jallota

My final ride of the day is on Jallota, and with conditions in his favour here, he’s probably my best chance of a winner today. 

He was a Listed winner last time out so is in good form, and the ground here will be perfect for him. 

This looks an ideal race for him, he’s a grand old horse now and hopefully he can do the business here.

Jim