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Crowley calls it: “Elarqam should run a huge race”

| 25.05.2018
SPORTSBOOK ODDS

Top jockey previews 2000 Guineas

Laraaib ran a massive race in the Brigadier Gerard. It was a big improvement on what he’s done so far. It was a big step forward.

Poet’s Word is a very good horse and ours is still an inexperienced horse so it was a great first run of the season.

Gabr also ran well in the Heron Stakes. It was a cracking performance as the ground would have been too soft for him as well.

We had a good Newmarket last Friday, with three winners and a second, and things have kept going well all week.

I had a couple of winners at Goodwood on Thursday during the afternoon including a nice two year old trained by Charlie Hills called Mutawaffer who would be a very good ride at Royal Ascot.

We have some nice ones to look forward to.

3.35 Curragh – Weatherbys Ireland Greenland Stakes (Group 2)

Tasleet

He missed his engagement in the Duke of York stakes last week and has come here instead. He will have a very good chance in this race.

Last year he was ultra-consistent and his only blip was in the July Cup which turned into a silly race.

He was second in four Group 1s so he brings some very strong form to the table here and must have a very good chance.

He is best with a bit of cut in the ground. He has run on Good to Firm, in fact he won on it at Chepstow on one occasion, but his best form is on easier ground.

I just hope it’s not too quick over there. If it’s good ground we will be fine.

4.10 Curragh – Tattersalls Irish 2000 Guineas (Group 1)

Elarqam

This is a good race. I thought US Navy Flag ran very well in France last time and I can see why Ryan Moore has decided to ride him.

He had to use him from a high draw which didn’t help him. He’s a Group One winner too. Elarqam finished in front of Gustav Klimt at Newmarket and I’d like to think I’d maintain that form.

That said you never know with Aidan O’Brien horses as he’s just a genius of a trainer. There are a few horses in the race that I hope don’t get in the way, and we get a smooth trip round, and if we do then he’ll run a huge race.

I don’t want to be too bullish as it’s a Group 1, it’s a Classic, and anything could happen. All I can say is that Elarqam is going to the race in good form, and whilst Classics are never easy to win, he deserves to be favourite.

He has the strongest form in the race. I’m just hoping for a nice clean race. I’m really looking forward to it.

I’ve ridden in both the Irish 2000 Guineas and the Irish 1000 Guineas on a few occasions so I know the track well.

Jim

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Author

Jim Crowley

Jim Crowley began his flat racing career as an amateur before switching to National Hunt racing, where he landed approximately 300 winners. He then returned to the flat to ride for sister-in-law Amanda Perrett. After years of hard work, Jim was finally rewarded when we won the 2016 Stobart Flat Jockey Championship with an incredible 148 winners. That was followed by a lucrative retained partnership with leading owner Sheikh Hamdan al-Maktoum, for whom he is the no.1 jockey.