Jim Crowley: “Motakhayyel is my best chance of an Ascot winner”
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Coral ambassador previews his Saturday rides at Ascot and Salisbury
I start a busy day on Good Vibes in the Princess Margaret Stakes, and I think she’s got a really good chance, although Summer Romance looks the one to beat.
My filly won a decent race at York in May, and has been kept fresh since then. As a result she almost comes here under the radar a bit, and she looks a really nice spare to have picked up.
Motakhayyel will probably start favourite in the mile handicap, and I can see why. He’s been really good this season, winning at Newmarket last time, when I couldn’t do the weight, so Chris Hayes was on board.
He’s improving all the time, and I think he’s my best chance of a winner here. He has gone up 6 pounds for his last win but he’s a big strong horse and I think he can handle that rise.
Mubhij’s trainer Roger Varian has his horses in great form, and this fellow is another progressive sort.
He followed a second to Beauty Filly at Goodwood with a win at Newcastle, and while this big field handicap is a step up again, we’re drawn well enough and if we get that bit of luck in running you always need in these races he could run a big race.
I’m on an outsider, Salouen, in the King George, and I’m sure he’ll run his usual honest race, even more so if Ascot gets some rain.
It’s a really strong renewal of the race, with Group One winners galore in it, although I can’t see Enable getting beat, I think she’s the best filly I’ve seen. She’s already beaten Crystal Ocean, when she wouldn’t have been fully tuned up, although Sir Michael Stoute has got further improvement out of last year’s runner-up.
There’s also the Derby winner, Anthony Van Dyck, and he could possibly be over-priced, getting weight from his rivals he could serve it up to Enable. Salouen will be running to get a place, and in this field getting placed would be a great result, but I just can’t see past Enable, she’s a true superstar and should prove it again here.
I’m on Buhturi in the race run in honour of the great Pat Eddery. He’s a nice horse, ran second on his debut and then went to Haydock and won.
I think he’s better than his winning margin that day as well, as we had to make the running and I’m not sure that suited him, he could be a better horse held up.
He’s a brother to a nice horse called Ibn Malik, and I think this fellow is a nice horse, he’d have a chance in an open looking race.
My final Ascot ride is on Unit Of Assesment. He got off the mark when winning at Goodwood last month, and then ran OK at Sandown last time. He stays this trip well, and it’s another open looking race so he’d have an each way chance hopefully.
William Haggas is another trainer who has his horses running well, and Aladaala could run a nice race here.
As a daughter of Dansili she should appreciate the step up in trip, and while Godolphin’s Global Hunter looks the pick on what form there is, we’re getting plenty of weight from him.
I’ve not ridden War Brigade since last October, since when he’s been kept busy on the flat and over jumps, but I always like riding for Ian Williams, and in what is another wide-open contest, I’m on a horse who will stay the 1m 6f trip so we’re not without a place chance.
Jim
