Jim Crowley: “Tabarrak’s a legend and won’t go down without a fight”

Coral ambassador previews his Saturday rides

Newbury rides

12.15 – Turaath

I think they quietly fancied her at Leicester but she ran disappointingly. However, Leicester can be a funny track and she didn’t get into the race at all. She’s been going nicely at home, and with a winter on her back, hopefully she can take a big step forward.

13.15 – Mercury Dime

This is his first run on turf and in a handicap off a mark of 69 so hopefully can be competitive off that mark. I haven’t ridden the horse before but he looks to have an each way chance.

15.00 – Shatha

She won her maiden at Newbury last week. She won nicely but it’s difficult to know how good she is. I finished fourth in that race on Marcus Tregoning’s horse, who runs at Goodwood on Sunday.

Shatha will need to take another step forward as there are some nice fillies in this race. We want to find out how good she is.

15.35 – Tabarrak

He’s an absolute legend, this horse. He’s won five Listed races and we’d love to make him a Group race winner. He loves Newbury, he always turns up, and does what it says on the tin. He has King of Comedy and Zaaki to beat so it will be tough, but he won’t go down without a fight that’s for sure.

16.10 – Nasraawy

She was an expensive purchase and has a really nice pedigree, by Kittens Joy. On paper she looks quite nice, and she’s been going nicely at home. This is a great track to start young horses off and hopefully she’ll run well.

16.45 – Blue Cup

He’s owned by a good friend of mine, Michael Watt, who has been a great supporter of mine over the years. He’s come over from France.

He has some nice form, a great trainer in David Meunisier, and it will be interesting to see how he runs. We don’t know that much about him but he is a horse to keep an eye on.

Jim