2022 has been a brilliant year, and there was no better moment than hitting the 200-winner mark – it doesn’t get much better than that. And heading into 2023, I want to do it again. Retaining the Championship and riding another 200 would be the ultimate target, so fingers crossed I can stay fit and ride some more winners.
It’s been a bit of a frustrating Christmas with several horses running well but not quite getting their heads in front, so my New Year’s resolution is to stop riding seconds!
Silver Flyer dug deep and beat a hot field to win a nice race at Doncaster on the 29th. He beat a decent field and is heading the right way as we go into2023. He should have another good staying handicap hurdle on his agenda.
As for those that are worth following next time up, Royal Mogul is a horse we like a lot, and he just wants nice ground. And the filly I rode on Boxing Day, Chalk That Down, put in a nice performance to finish second on her debut. It was a really good run, she felt good and is hopefully one to follow in the new year.
Uttoxeter on New Year’s Eve
Well Dick (12:03pm) kicks us off in the maiden hurdle. He ran well at Chepstow and is a Point-to-Point winner on testing ground, so fingers crossed conditions suit. Charlie [Longsdon] is happy with him and we’re hoping he can be competitive.
Latino Fling (1:43pm), who I’ve won a few times, if having her first run back after a break. I’m hoping the ground’s not too testing for her. She’s a good, honest filly who rarely runs a bad race, but the best of her form is on better ground, so we’ll just have to see how conditions are on the day.
I don’t know Courtney Silver (2:18pm) too well, but if she improves a bit on her recent form then you’d like to think she’ll run a good race.
Musselburgh on New Year’s Day
Sanitiser (12:25pm) is making his first appearance on the National Hunt circuit. He won over 1m2f on the Flat, and we can’t be sure that he’ll get the two miles if the ground becomes testing, but I don’t think Archie Watson would be sending him to Musselburgh if he didn’t think he could cope with it.
Lastofthecosmics (1:00pm), who I rode a couple of years back at Sedgefield, would have a chance of his current mark if he runs his race, but I’ve not been on him in a while.
Minella Drama (1:35pm) is dropping down in grade in the Auld Reekie. I thought that if it wasn’t for a late mistake at Haydock the last day, he would have been a fair bit closer to Hitman. It’s the first time he’s run in a handicap for a while, he’s well at home, and he won’t mind any rain that comes. We’re giving away plenty of weight, but he’s earned his rating and is a good horse.
I’ve not ridden Dondiam (2:10pm) before, so I don’t know a great deal about him, but Laura Morgan’s horses are in good form, so fingers crossed.
Nayati (2:45pm) has been a cracking horse for us over the years. He was a good winner when I rode him two starts back, then I think you ignore his run at Sandown last time as I’m not sure that track would have been his cup of tea. I think he can go well back on a level track.
Lastly, Navajo Pass (3:20pm) runs off a mark of 125 in the 2m4f handicap hurdle. Who would have thought that that horse who beat Buveur D’Air in a Grade 2 less than two years ago would be where he is at the moment? He obviously lost his way a little, but then bounced back with a win on the Flat and ran okay on his most recent start back over hurdles. He won this race two years ago off a mark of 149, so if the Navajo that we see at home turns up, he could be hard to beat.
