Jim Crowley: ‘I was really happy with Zeyaadah in Cheshire Oaks.’
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Jim Crowley reflects on Cheshire Oaks and looks forward to his rides at Ascot on Saturday
Zeyaadah ran a lovely race in the Cheshire Oaks this week. She was drawn seven out of seven and at Chester that makes it very difficult to go forward so I just slotted her in and had to wait for a split.
She ran a cracking race, giving three pounds to the winner especially, and we also didn’t want to give her too hard a race to knock her back for the season. I was really happy with how it went and we were unlucky that the winner got first kick of us.
If she goes to Epsom, she will have a great chance of running another big race.
Deja won the Old Newton Cup up at Haydock last year, and although his first run this year didn’t go to plan at Newbury, that should set him straight for this.
He is up from handicap company and it will need a step up but based off 2020 the form and ability is all there so I’m hopeful he can step up and run a good race here.
Motakhayyel is a smashing horse and I am really looking forward to this ride on Saturday.
He won the Buckingham Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot last year off a mark of 98 and then followed that up with the Bunbury Cup at Newmarket a month later off 105. He might not have won on his return this season at Thirsk but it was still a promising run and he is one ride in particular that I am really looking forward to.
He is now running off 111 and it is never easy to run off top weight in a handicap but he is a big strong horse who absolutely loves it round Ascot. If he can manage the weight, he will run a big race.
The track and trip suits him perfectly and I think he has a fantastic chance of placing but it will just be whether or not he can handle top weight. However, as I say, he’s a big strong horse and hopefully he can.
Speed Company had a spin over hurdles recently and stayed on really well to finish fourth in that handicap, so we know that he stays and that gives me confidence that he will finish this race well here.
A lot of his recent form is over hurdles so it is always hard to judge but there is definitely plenty of ability here and in a competitive handicap, he has a definite each-way chance.
Jim
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