Fingers crossed Anthony can be King
I’m absolutely thrilled to be getting the leg up on Aidan O’Brien’s Anthony Van Dyck in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Qipco Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
Enable’s obviously a superstar, but Anthony Van Dyck ran very well when splitting Ghaiyyath and Stradivarius in the Coronation Cup at Newmarket on his reappearance, while the ground was probably a bit slow for him in the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot last time.
He enjoys top of the ground conditions and he’ll hopefully get those on Saturday. He’s a Derby winner and these are opportunities to treasure, so I hope I can make the most of it. It could be tactical being such a small field, but Enable’s very uncomplicated and versatile, she could even get out on the front end and do whatever, so I’d imagine they won’t complicate things on her. I’m not sure what Aidan will want me to do tactically, but we’ll be doing our best to run as well as we possibly can. It would be great to win a Group One for Aidan. I’ve been placed in two Group Ones for him, once in Australia and once in Ireland.
I’ve known him since I was a child and I’ve spent a lot of time working at Ballydoyle, so I know what he expects of me. It would be fantastic to win a big race like this for him.
Other Saturday Rides
1.15 – Political Approach
Abdulla Al Mansoori is a big owner in George Margarson’s yard so it would be nice for him to find a nice horse. Political Approach is well bred being by New Approach out of a Teofilo mare, so hopefully she can shape well on debut. In an Ascot novice race like this, though, you never know what to expect.
1.50 – Harold Shand
He was tough at Yarmouth last time out, staying on strongly to win after putting his head down and galloping to the line, beating a nice horse of Andrew Balding’s called Spanish Colt. This is a tough Listed race, though, and Twaasol could be very hard to beat.
2.25 – Ebury
I ride Ebury in the Moet & Chandon International Stakes and he deserves to go off as one of the fancied ones. He’s done nothing wrong in his career so far and I thought he ran well at Ascot despite the ground. He’s a top of the ground horse, no doubt about it. He’s won at Ascot before and he’s a strong traveller, I’m drawn nicely amongst fancied horses and hopefully I’ll get a good tow into the race. I’d say he was drawn on the wrong side in the Buckingham Palace, but that big-field handicap experience will have done him good.
3.00 – Glasvegas
I ride Glasvegas for Keith Dalgleish in the Betfred ‘Nifty Fifty’ Handicap. He’s lost his way a bit this year and has dropped from a mark of 99 to 90, but he’s got Ascot previous having finished third in last year’s Windsor Castle and I just hope he can recapture that sort of form.
4.10 – Edinburgh Castle
I really like Edinburgh Castle who goes in the Betfred.com Handicap. I thought he’d run well at York last time but he was a bit disappointing over two miles. I’m going to ride him a little bit more patiently as he’s a strong traveller and I’d like to get the best out of him. Everyone expects him to stay given the family he comes from, but, for me, he clearly didn’t stay at York and I think dropping back to a mile and a half will suit. He’s not ground dependent and I think he’s a lot better than a 78-rated horse. We’ve just got to find the key.
4.45 – Imperial Fora
He’s done nothing wrong in four starts and is a tough little horse by Holy Roman Emperor. I think he’s earned his handicap mark of 73, whether he’s got loads in hand I’m not so sure, but a few of these have similar chances. Hughie Morrison’s Marsabit stands out to me, he looks a little bit better than 70 from what I've seen.
Method the real deal
Method felt fantastic in the Listed Rose Bowl Stakes at Newbury last Saturday.
I’d ridden him at home during lockdown and obviously he won very nicely at Doncaster, but I was just pleased with how he behaved and how he did everything correctly at Newbury.
He’s got a lot of speed, I think he’s going to be even better the further he goes up in grade and the more he relaxes the more he will quicken and show that turn of foot he’s got.
He’s a proper horse and an out-and-out sprinter, there’s no doubt about that.
Martyn Meade hasn’t decided on his immediate schedule just yet, but he’s had a Group One sprinter before in Advertise and I’m sure this fellow will tread a familiar path.
Jet frustration in France
I was just denied in a couple of Group races at the weekend, on The Tin Man on Saturday and The Lir Jet on Sunday, so that was a bit frustrating.
The Lir Jet was beaten a short head over six furlongs in the Prix Robert Papin at Chantilly and I don’t think he did too much wrong.
Maybe I should’ve held onto him a bit longer over six, we were absolutely walking late on. I don’t felt he ran to his Ascot form but hopefully he can bounce back.
The Phoenix Stakes is being spoken about and possibly the Nunthorpe, those are his options at the moment.
If he does run at York I won’t be riding him, as I couldn’t try to attempt to do the weight (8st-3lb).
Kameko spearheads Goodwood team
I rode Kameko in work on Wednesday morning and he felt very well.
He’s done everything right so far since Epsom and we’re very happy with him. It’s all systems go for the Qatar Sussex Stakes and we’re all looking forward to what looks a great race.
We’ll talk more in depth about his chance in next week’s Goodwood blogs and he’s not the only ride I’m looking forward to at the meeting.
Youth Spirit goes in the Vintage Stakes after winning at Newmarket last time out, while Bell Rock is an interesting one in the 10-furlong handicap on Tuesday.
He ran okay in the Hunt Cup and has been working very well since, while he could improve for moving up to a mile and a quarter for the first time.
Darain out again on Friday
Much was made of the debut of the well-bred and expensive purchase Darain just over two weeks ago and I’m looking forward to riding him again on Friday.
He won nicely at Newbury where we went very slowly in a strange sort of race but it’s good to get another run into him on the July Course in the Newmarket Festival Charitable Novice Stakes over 10 furlongs.
Everyone’s been very happy with him since and on paper it doesn’t look much of a race, but he has the penalty and you never know what might’ve improved from first to second run from those good yards.
It’ll be nice to get him out again and see where we are with him. I’m hopeful he can go onto good things and Friday’s race is another step, hopefully in the right direction.
Telecaster can hit the high notes
Telecaster is a horse I know plenty about and if I could be in two places at once I’d love to be riding him in the Sky Bet York Stakes on Saturday.
He’s been going well at home since he won in France and it looks like he should get his pace to get settled, with Elarqam likely to go forward, you would think.
King Of Comedy is an interesting rival, on his day he’s very good and he might be a little overpriced.
But Telecaster is a very good horse and he’s back at the scene of his very best win in the Dante. I think he’ll be bang there.
Hoping for more Magic on Sunday
I’m going to Ascot on Sunday and I’m really looking forward to getting back on Magic J in the five-furlong handicap at 1.55.
He won very nicely at Sandown last week and this looks the right sort of race for him. He’s a proper five-furlong horse and is on the improve.
The handicapper has put him up 8lb, but that is fair enough as he ran to a high level.
I also ride Look Around in the Group 3 Betfred Valiant Fillies’ Stakes for Andrew Balding and George Strawbridge.
Her work has been good at home and she’s got loads of black type, but it would be nice for her to win a group race.