Crowley calls it: “Shabeeb has a really good chance”
Coral ambassador discusses his seven Friday rides at Newmarket
Tasleet missed the Duke of York because of a minor issue and he may now go to Ireland next weekend.
At first I wasn’t that impressed by Harry’s Angel but then when I watched it again I thought he actually did it quite well because he was giving 5lbs away, he was quite keen, and he beat two nice horses.
I’ve decided to ride at Newmarket rather than York as I’ve a strong book of rides. I really like riding the Rowley Mile course. It’s one of these tracks where you really need a well-balanced horse.
You hear people talking about whether a horse will handle the dip, well if you can travel well you will usually handle the dip fine but if you are off the bridle, and pushing, then that is often when your horse doesn’t handle the dip.
That is why it is often the best horse that wins at Newmarket, as the best horse is usually the one travelling well for longest.
The straight course at Newmarket suits some horses more than others. It tends to suit front-runners. I do like Newmarket. It’s a very fair track, and I’ve had plenty of success there. Hopefully I’ll have some more today.
I’ve never ridden this horse before. She’s stepping up to seven furlongs for the first time after two wins over six furlongs. Ian Williams thinks the step up in trip is worth a try. On paper he looks like she has a chance but I couldn’t say if it’s a winning chance as I haven’t ridden her before. If the step up in trip suits then she could go well.
This is a nice horse trained by Owen Burrows. He’s dropping back to seven furlongs and wears a hood for the first time as he was quite fizzy last time out. He has a nice pedigree and is decent and should have a really good chance. The drop in trip will help him.
This horse trained by John Gosden is owned by the boss’s daughter and it would be great to ride a winner for her. He disappointed at Nottingham last time. I didn’t ride him that day and he went off favourite and disappointed. Hopefully he might just have needed the run. This looks a very winnable race and now Loujain has a run under his belt I’m hopeful he can run well.
3.20 Newmarket – Captain Courageous
He ran a few times for Ed Walker last season and this is his first start for Ed Vaughan. It’s the first time I’ve ridden him and it looks a competitive little race. He looks like he’d have an each way squeak.
I like this horse a lot. He ran a super race at Epsom last time out. I rode him to finish his race well as a couple of times last season he hadn’t finished out his races, and he stayed on really well down the outside at Epsom. I’d also have to say that he was a little unlucky last time too. The step up in trip to 1m 6f should suit and I think he has a really good chance.
I really like this horse. He is one of the main reasons I decided to ride at Newmarket rather than York. He’s by Frankel out of a lovely mare Rumoush, so he has a beautiful pedigree. He ran the one time last season when second at Ascot to Herculean. He takes on that rival again in this race but he has a penalty and we don’t. Wadilsafa has been training really well and we think he’s a very nice horse. I’m hopeful of a big run from him.
Almoreb is a smashing little horse. He’s as tough as nails. He won at Chelmsford last year, and was very consistent all season. I think he needed his first run of the season at Newmarket. I’d like to think he’s come on for that run and I can see him running well.
