Jim Crowley: “Almashriq is the one I’ve been looking forward to for a long time.”
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More Newmarket insight from our ambassador
It’s been a really enjoyable start to the season and I’m starting to get right back into the swing of things now back in England. The sun is shining and it was great to kick off the Craven meeting with a couple of winners on Tuesday.
It’s always a really busy time and I’m taking the chance to ride as many horses out as I can to get to know them all again. These next few weeks will provide plenty of clues for the season and it’s always a great time of year.
Thursday – Newmarket
Qutob is a very nice horse who has always possessed a lot of pace and we’re stepping him up a furlong in this race. That should allow him to relax into his race a bit more and if he does step up and see out the trip then he should go close.
It is always an advantage going into these races with a run under your belt up against plenty of unraced horses and hopefully that helps us here.
Almashriq could have ran in the Craven but instead takes his chance in this race and I cannot wait for it. He’s one that I have been looking forward to for a long time, I went and rode him the other day and he worked so well.
He is a big, strapping colt with absolutely beautiful pedigree. He looks the real deal and whilst there is good horses in the race I would be disappointed if we get beat based on what he has been doing at home.
Sawwaah has disappointed a couple of times when I have been expecting more but I did win on him in September at Newmarket and he is undoubtedly a nice horse. The trip is spot on, he likes fast ground and should have a good chance here.
This was a really tough decision for me but I’ve chosen to ride Elarqam instead of Mustashry. I just felt that his form, if he can get back to his Guineas form, getting weight off the other horses means that he can win this.
He is working really well and home and everybody involved is so happy with the way things have gone that we go into this race confident of a big run.
Mustashry is also a talented horse and this race can give plenty of clues as to how their seasons will go.
I’ve won on Hajjam before at Lingfield and whilst I haven’t ridden him since 2017 I know that he has plenty of good form in the book. He goes well on the ground and I’m looking forward to riding him once again.
Jim
