The Ebor Meeting
Goodwood was obviously a fantastic week, ended up with three winners, highlighted by Big Evs - he was exceptional once again and really looking forward to York this week with him - clashing again with Asfoora with 5Ib difference in the swing of her, but its a track he won on his reappearance run this year. It’s a sharp track so I am really looking forward to butting heads with her again at York. There are a few others in the mix as well: Live In The Dream - a very good horse, previous winner in the Nunthorpe, Believing, who was arguably unlucky at Ascot and Bradsell is back for Hollie & Archie - he looks great when he won a listed race in France. It will be one of the best races of the week.
Shagran leads nicely into York as I ride him on the first day - we are hoping to get plenty of cover on him and hopefully he can finish off great like he did last time and true showing of being a top class sprinter.
Amongst other rides, I ride Maljoom in the Juddmonte. Although he looks a big price in what looks to be a race of the ages with the horses you’ve got in there, he is a horse that really excites me still. Obviously still lightly raced coming off the back of a big run in the Sussex at Goodwood, he had the blinkers on and this will be his first go at a mile quarter and we really feel like it's the next logical step with him. Whilst he does have the step up, I am really looking forward to riding him as I think it will be a fun ride.
Amongst others is Sea Theme - she is going into the deep end in the Yorkshire Oaks but is a filly that won really well in France and we thought a lot of. Her run before that was a complete right off, being that it was quite slippery at Haydock, so looking forward to riding her again for Sheikh Juma.
Sea Just In Time is obviously a very exciting filly after winning first time in Newmarket at the beginning of the year. She had a disappointing start at Goodwood but definitely was not right that day. She came back two weeks ago and felt fantastic at Kempton. She heads a really strong charge into the Galtres Stakes that I've had previous luck with before. Quickthorn comes back out on a route of redemption mission - he's an exceptionally talented stayer and is also a lot of fun to ride so really looking forward to getting back on him and hopefully getting back to his previous strong efforts.
My Prospero runs on Friday - he is an exceptionally talented horse and had his reappearance run at Goodwood after a long lay off and got pretty unlucky, he got down on the fence and obviously with no cutaway, we just had to wait for the race to develop to get any room but really impressive the way he came back and he felt great so looking forward to being aboard him.
Lake Forest in the City of York, obviously a fun little sprinter. Going up to 7f but definitely the right track to be doing so if you are going to be trying anywhere. It seems a valuable pot and competitive race for that reason, but he should love the fast ground and again have fun riding as he is a proper little battler, I think he will have a chance in that.
I also ride Wiltshire on Saturday who comes in off the back of an impressive race at Newcastle on his last start. He is a dropping horse so will need a lot of luck.
It is looking like it will be a really strong week and I really enjoy York, as does William, hence the strong charge by Somerville Lodge, amongst others. I am really looking forward to finding a few winners there as it's a track I really enjoy and have had plenty of luck at as well.