Brian Hughes’ Felix could return to winning ways
30th Friday, Cartmel:
My first ride on Friday is Grange Ranger (2:30pm) who only ran the other day at Hexham over a trip too short for him, but he stayed on. He is being turned out quickly again and the three miles and one furlong will suit him better, so he might run into a place in this eight-runner field. He has no weight on his back and the quick turnaround suggests the team at home know he’s okay.
After that, I’ll partner Raecius Felix (3.05pm). He had a wind problem and has had a wind operation to correct that. He runs off his last winning mark and he did run well at Cartmel last year, but he wouldn’t want the ground to get any softer as he is a quick ground horse. If it’s decent ground, he should run well.
My penultimate ride at Cartmel is Big In Milan (4.15pm) who I don’t have much of an idea on as he’s been running in Point-to-Point races. This is his first time on a track with a first-time tongue tie and cheekpieces applied. It isn’t the greatest of maiden hurdles, but I’m hopeful more than confident.
The final horse I’ll be riding on Friday is Punk Rock Girl (4.47pm). She would have to leave all of her form behind to be getting involved it would seem. She has been beaten a long way in her last few races, but hopefully she can do a bit better this time around.
Royal Ascot Review:
The racing at Ascot last week was brilliant. It was brilliant to see Triple Time win for my good friend Kevin Ryan, but the performance I was amazed by was Paddington for Aidan O’Brien in the St James’s Palace Stakes. He has taken some giant steps to go from a handicap to a Listed race and then to go and win two Group 1s, so he looks like the best three-year-old colt at a mile.
Tahiyra was obviously great in the Coronation Stakes and connections have always said that she prefers ground with ease in it, but last week showed she can be adaptable on quick ground as well. She looks to me like a filly who does what she has to do, so you don’t know how much improvement is in her. She has only been beaten once in her career in the Guineas at Newmarket, so she is obviously a high-class filly.
Irish Derby Preview:
Auguste Rodin is obviously priced at 1/3 and is head and shoulders above everything else in the race. The two who are reappearing, White Birch and Sprewell, look like they have a tough task and I can’t see a reason for them to get any closer than they did at Epsom. You would have to say that Auguste Rodin would have to underperform for any other horse to win.
The form is rock solid with King Of Steel’s win at Royal Ascot and to go from being beaten out of sight in the Guineas to winning the Derby is a testament to all the team in Ballydoyle. He took a massive step forward and you would be frightened to see if he can take a similar step this weekend.
