Jim Crowley: ‘I think Al Aasy will be hard to beat at Newbury.’
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Coral ambassador Jim Crowley previews his rides at Newbury on Sunday
Our man Jim Crowley looks ahead to his seven rides at Newbury and explains why he think Al Aasy will be hard to beat.
I love Newbury as a track, and it’s a great place to introduce youngsters, so we should find out plenty about all of the unraced ones we run here on Sunday.
I haven’t ridden Masnoon but I understand he’s been going nicely at home, and Sir Michael Stoute’s horses are in great form, which is another plus.
Al Aasy is a horse I love, I really think he’ll be hard to beat here.
His Bahrain Trophy win last summer worked out well, with even the fourth horse home that day [Miss Yoda] going on to win the German Oaks. You can write off his next run at Goodwood, the ground was quicker that day and he never let himself down, never got into the race, which can happen at a track like Goodwood.
I’m really hoping he can run well here and progress on to better things, he could even make up into a horse for races like the Hardwicke [at Royal Ascot], so yes, I’m really looking forward to this.
Zaajirah has the Qipco 1,000 Guineas entry so it makes sense to run her in this trial.
She’s won her only start, and did it nicely on Kempton’s all-weather, but this is a big step up in class, with the Group One winner Alcohol Free heading the field here.
I’m sure my filly will make into a lovely 3-year-old, she’s one of the more inexperienced runners in this field so she’ll learn plenty from it. She’s been going nicely at home and I’m hopeful of a big run.
I had the choice of two here. I’ve got off Alkumait, I know him well and he’s a lovely horse, but I think he might end up being a sprinter, maybe even a Commonwealth Cup horse, and so I want to find out more about Mujbar as a possible Guineas horse. He won the Horris Hill here last season so the track suits him, albeit that was on very different ground, it was much heavier.
I know he’s been working well, and Charlie [Hills] is another trainer in great form, so hopefully this race will tell us where he’s at. I’ve ridden Alkumait at home and he’s going well so I could be on the wrong one, but as I say he’s got plenty of speed, I’m not sure he’s a Guineas horse.
Shadwell run two here as well. I’ve chosen Danyah, who ran very well first time up this season to finish fourth in the Lincoln.
He was a bit keen that day, as he always is, he always travels strongly in his races, but I think he’s the better handicapped of our pair here.
Raaeq carries top weight, and to win off that mark on his first run of the season, I think he’d have to be bordering on Listed or even Group 3 class to do that.
Another first timer, this son of Night Of Thunder cost a fair bit as a yearling, as befits a horse with this pedigree.
On breeding alone he could go well here, but as I say we’ll find out more about him with this run.
A third unraced 3-year-old to finish, and Mandoob is not one I know too much about personally, although I understand he’s been going well at home.
Brian Meehan’s are in good form, so this is another fact-finding mission.
Jim
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