Jim Crowley: “It wasn’t a difficult choice for me to make”
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Coral ambassador previews his rides on Day Two of the York Ebor Festival
York 14.45 – Montatham
Sheikh Hamdan runs two here but in all honesty, it wasn’t a difficult choice for me to make. I was always going to ride Montatham over Mutamaasik.
My horse was second in the Hunt Cup at the Royal meeting, and we then reversed placings with the Ascot winner, Dark Vision, at Sandown next time.
Dark Vision has come out and won again since to further boost the form. Montatham was a non-runner on account of the quick ground last time, so any rain that falls here will only be a help to this son of Dark Angel.
We’re well drawn here. I think a low draw is an advantage over this seven-furlong trip. If you’re drawn higher, you can get forced wide around the dog leg and lose a bit of ground.
We’ve gone up four pounds for his Sandown win, but I’m hoping the handicapper hasn’t got to the bottom of him yet. He’s proved this season that these big fields suit him, and I think he’s got a good chance in what is a competitive contest as you’d expect.
York 15.45 – Star Terms
I’ve not ridden Star Terms before, but she had a busy time last season, with some decent pieces of form to her name.
This is her first start of the year, so hopefully she can go well fresh. This is a decent looking race for the grade, but my filly could well have an each-way chance.
York 16.20 – Mayaas
Mayaas – who by coincidence is a half-brother to Star Terms – has been sent off favourite for his two starts to date.
Although he hasn’t won yet, he ran a good third in what I think was a decent race at Ascot last time. Another of Sheikh Hamdan’s, Mizaal, finished one place behind that day and has bolted in at Salisbury since to give the form a boost.
He steps up to seven furlongs here and as always in these types of races here it looks competitive enough. I think he’s off a workable handicap mark here and should run a big race.
Jim.
