We had some drama at Bangor earlier this week, where Ben Sutton took a nasty fall and is thankfully on the mend.
I was lucky enough to see the flag out the corner of my eye, and when you see that you have to pull up. I had to let the rest of the boys know as I think I was the only one who saw the flag, so I was shouting for everyone to pull up. As I say, thankfully Ben seems to be doing well.
Friday at Wetherby
I kick off a good card at Wetherby with Albert’s Back (2:20 pm), but he’ll only run if there’s a fair bit of give in the ground, so we’ll have to wait and see with him. If he takes part, I expect him to go well as I know he’s been working nicely at home.
I can’t believe that Vintage Valley (2:55 pm) is the outsider of the field today. He needed the run badly two starts back at Sedgefield, and the winner of that race has gone on to land a Grade 2 and will possibly go on to win the big Grade 1 out in France too. He did it very nicely last time out over course and distance and seems to be improving with every run, so I can’t see why he’s the price he is. We’ll go out there and make the running as he stays very well and hopefully we’ll be hard to pass.
Joke Dancer (3:30 pm) needed the run last time out and still showed up well. The step up in trip shouldn’t be an issue and he has a nice light weight, but it’s a tough race and the likes of Coconut Splash and Flic Ou Voyou look like strong contenders.
Royal Mogul (4:35 pm) has his first run for us having run well in bumpers. He was narrowly beaten by the Skelton horse, Don Hollow, who re-opposes here, and has good form in point-to-points, so we hope his jumping is going to be solid.
Saturday at Ayr
The Charlie Hall (3:35 pm) looks a cracker and I’ll be cheering for Ahoy Senor from the weighing room. I’ve got to stick in the northern camp, but have obviously got full respect for Bravemansgame, as well as Eldorado Allen.
For Ahoy Senor to do what he did at Aintree having already run at Cheltenham was impressive, so I’m sticking with him and look forward to seeing a great race and maybe, just maybe, a future Gold Cup winner.
I had some good chances at Wetherby, but I can’t be in two places at once and I’ve got a strong book of rides at Ayr, including for some of our bigger owners, kicking off with Glory Bridge (1:23 pm). He’s a nice bumper winner and is a typical Trevor Hemmings horse – a big, chasing type – and hopefully he can go well over obstacles under rules for the first time.
Silver Flyer (2:33 pm) could be about my best chance of the whole weekend. He never reproduced his first run for us, when he won well at Catterick, but did run okay twice in defeat. It turned out he had a small niggle which I believe has now been rectified, so I expect him to run well. He’s going very well at home, remains unexposed and the three miles shouldn’t be a problem, so I’ve got high hopes for him.
Marown (3:08 pm) is a course and distance winner and has dropped 12lbs below his top mark. He’s got to turn his form round a bit, but Nicky’s [Richards] horses are running well and I’d like to think he’s in with a solid chance.
Collingham (3:43 pm) won well the last day and I don’t think the extra dig in the ground will be an issue for him. He’s got top-weight, but I can see him improving again as he would have needed the run a bit the last day.
Mackenberg (4:18 pm) was three from three over fences last season, and then it didn’t really happen for him at over hurdles at Aintree in April, so hopefully he can put his best foot forward over the bigger obstacles again.
If Silver Flyer doesn’t turn out to be my chance on the card then Largy Ray (4:53 pm) could. Stuart Crawford called me up specially to check I could ride this fella, and when he does that he’s usually sending over a nice horse. When we have teamed up, we’ve been pretty successful and I’m excited about getting on him. He’s a half-brother to a horse of Henry de Bromhead’s called Largy Debut, who was second to none other than Kilcruit in a Cork bumper last year, so fingers crossed this fella is a bit like him.
Sunday at Carlisle
It’s a big day at Carlisle on Sunday with another five rides. Grey Skies (1:25 pm) did nothing wrong last year since joining us. You’d be hopeful he goes well on his chasing debut being a point-to-point winner, and he’ll be a nice staying novice chaser to keep an eye on this season.
Somewhat Cloudy (1:58 pm) will hopefully find her breathing again on her second start after a wind op. Whether it’s this race, or another in the not to distant future, I’d like to believe she’ll win one soon as she remains well-handicapped.
Minella Drama (2:30 pm) has been away for a gallop, which went well, and arrives here in good form. His form from the last 12 months is rock-solid and he’ll appreciate any of the forecast rain that falls. Apart from Upton Road and Diamond Bank, who look like they might struggle in this company, it looks very competitive, but I’m very happy with ‘Drama’ and this has been his target for a while.
Navajo Pass (3:05 pm) was a very good winner on the Flat at Haydock a couple of weeks ago and will love the likely soft ground. He’s got a nice racing weight thanks to Wholestone, who needs to put a few ordinary runs behind him, and I think he’s got a very solid chance.
