Jim Crowley: “Mr Weld has not sent Umneyaat over for a day out!”
Coral ambassador previews his Friday rides at York Races
York 1.50 – Winter Reprise
My Friday begins on Winter Reprise, a gelding I’m riding for the first time.
He ran OK here at York in last month’s John Smith’s Cup and is stepping up in trip.
Things will need to fall right for him, with stall 12 not ideal, but he’s in great hands and could have an each-way chance.
York 4.40 – Umneyaat
Umneyaat has been doing all her racing in Ireland to this point, so it’s interesting her top-class trainer [Dermot Weld] is sending her over to this race.
Although she didn’t get her head in front until her last race – which was her eighth – she’d always run consistently and had never been out of the first four.
She gets in here off a mark of 83 and having watched her races, her toughness is there to see and Mr Weld has a great record with horses he sends over to York, he really doesn’t send them over for a day out!
We’re among the market leaders and I hope those odds reflect the great chance I think she has.
York 5.10 – Wishaah
I had the choice of two Shadwell runners here and I’ve plumped for Wishaah over Aldaary.
I’m hoping he’s slightly better handicapped than Aldaary and we’re also drawn in stall one, which is a positive over this one mile trip [Aldaary is in 13].
The horse he beat at Newmarket last time, Sibaaq, has come out and won since to frank the form also.
He’s arguably a little bit unlucky not to be unbeaten in his three starts, he just ran a bit green when second on his second run.
Take nothing away from Aldaary, though, there’s virtually nothing between them in the betting here. He’s been running consistently in some big handicaps this summer, against older horses too.
But I’m just hoping my fellow has more improvement to come and is just off a better mark here.
Jim
