Jim Crowley: “Hukum is the horse I’m looking forward to most”

Coral ambassador previews his Saturday rides at Newbury

Newbury 13.15 – First Verse

She’s a two-year-old filly having her first start and I haven’t ridden her. I don’t know anything about her. I don’t know how she is going at home. She has a nice pedigree. Newbury maidens are usually decent so she will have to be a good horse to win.

Newbury 14.25 – Afaak

I picked Afaak to ride but the other horse I could have ridden, Jahbath, has a good chance as well. His best form is on the all-weather. He ran last time on soft ground and ran okay after being off along time, so he could improve a lot.

Afaak is running off a mark of 103 which is what he won the Royal Hunt Cup off. He carries top weight which won’t be easy, but he also won’t be inconvenienced by any rain that comes. He ran well at Goodwood last time and should be there or thereabouts at the finish. So, all in all Afaak has the more solid chance, but Jahbath is open to more improvement.

Newbury 15.00 – Hukum

I really like Hukum. He has been working really well recently. He got struck into behind at Royal Ascot when he won and was given plenty of time to get over that. I feel his work is better now than it was before he ran at Royal Ascot, which is a big positive. It was on the soft side when he won so he won’t mind any rain, although I think he is better on top of the ground.

He has a bit to find on the ratings. Morando loves soft ground and is rated 114, but Hukum is a three-year-old and gets the weight for age allowance.

I think he has a really good chance and he is the horse I’m most looking forward to riding this weekend. He’s such a nice horse. He’s got to make the jump from handicap company to Group company but he is showing all the right signs that he is capable of doing that.

Newbury 16.45 – Badenscoth

He’s a big outsider. He won a few races at the start of last year and then his form dropped away. Any rain will help this horse. If plenty fell he might have an each-way chance.

Newbury 17.20 – Feldspar

He has had the one run, and disappointed, but hopefully he can come forward from that and run a better race.

Jim