Jim Crowley: ‘Mohaafeth should be one of my best chances of a winner this week.’
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Coral ambassador Jim Crowley previews his Royal Ascot day three rides
Our man Jim Crowley looks ahead to his four rides at Royal Ascot on Thursday, including Mohaafeth in the Hampton Court Stakes.
Mohaafeth very nearly ran in the Derby, I felt like a footballer who was just doing up his boots before the Champions League final, and then not making it onto the pitch, but the torrential rain that fell on Epsom on Oaks day scuppered his chances, and Mr Haggas [trainer] just felt he’d rather wait for better ground, so hopefully Ascot will avoid the thunderstorms, at least until Thursday evening!
He’s a hot favourite for the Hampton Court, and hopefully he can live up to that billing, certainly on his Newmarket victory this Group 3 should be within his range, particularly if the ground does remain nice and quick. He’s got nine rivals against him though, so we’ll need a little bit of luck, but he’s got a nice turn of foot so I should be able to put him anywhere in the race.
He should be one of my best chances of a winner this week, and having missed the Derby, hopefully he can take this on route to some of the other big races later in the summer, he’s a horse I like a lot.
My Ribblesdale mount, Eshaada, is a very likable filly, who improved from winning her maiden last year to taking a Listed race at Newbury on her reappearance last month, showing great resolution in both of those races. If she had just come to hand a little bit earlier in the year she could even have been an Oaks filly, as she’s improving nicely.
This is a lovely next race for her, and although stall 11 might not be ideal, she’s tough, she’s got a great attitude, her trainer Roger Varian is very happy with her and I hope she’ll go close.
Shadwell run two in the Britannia, and I’ve gone with Qaader. He was second in the Coventry Stakes at this meeting 12 months ago, and just lost his way for a few races after that, so it was nice to see him return to form this season, firstly with a second place at Chelmsford, and then winning at Goodwood when he was really tough and game to get back up.
He’s a big strong horse, and he’ll stay ten furlongs, which is a plus when taking on this stiff mile at Ascot. He’s strengthened up well from two to three as well, so I’m really looking forward to riding him, it would be no surprise to see him outrun his odds.
Our other one is Akmaam, who won at Ascot as a two-year-old last autumn, but needs to bounce back from a disappointing run in the Craven.
We also run two in the last race of the day, Aldaary and Danyah. I’ve gone with the former, and I’m very much looking forward to him. He was a very easy winner at Ascot last month, he probably won too well as the handicapper hiked him right up! He then went to Goodwood, but we weren’t drawn well that day, the ground was very soft, and he finished third to two horses getting lumps of weight from him, so I was far from disappointed with the run.
He does have form on soft but I think he prefers a better surface, so that’s a plus, the 7 furlong trip will suit, and as a three-year-old – the only one in the race – he gets a nice weight for age allowance, so I’m hoping for a good run.
Our other one is Danyah, who is probably a better horse with a bit of cut in the ground, but he’s a strong traveller who again will be suited by this 7 furlong trip, so he could run a nice race.
Jim
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