Relishing being back!

It’s been a quieter week than usual for me due to suspensions, so I went to Ireland and saw my parents, which was great, and I was able to get a few showjumping lessons in. But the bottom line is that I've had a lot of suspensions this year and I need to stay out of the stewards' room. It's very frustrating and hopefully when I'm back on Friday the gap in the title race isn't too close - I've been handing William [Buick] free days.

I've been in this situation before - I got suspended last year and missed the whole of the St Leger meeting – but I just want a clear run now and to get back to work.

Newbury, Friday

Star From Afarhh - 13:45 Newbury

She is a very straightforward filly who won on debut but was a little bit disappointing at Sandown where the ground was a touch slow for her. Silk Romance will be hard to beat here, while Heredia did well to win at Windsor as she came from further back than the second and third, and Fast Attack won very well first time out before disappointing at Deauville.

American Star - 14:20 Newbury

I don't really know what happened to him at York. When I rode him at Newbury on his second start I loved the horse and thought he'd improve for stepping up to seven furlongs. He stayed at six and bolted up at Salisbury and I know it was a big step up in class at York but I expected him to run a bit better in the Gimcrack. This is a hot race – Nuance won well at Chester and looks like a typical steadily-improving Frankel – but hopefully American Star will be bang there as his mark of 85 seems fair. This drop in grade and step up in trip might bring about some improvement.

Bolthole - 14:55 Newbury

It's a very competitive race and there could be a future star in this – Westover is an unfurnished type who always looked likely to get up at Sandown – but I have a high opinion of Bolthole and hope he'll be bang there. It's the way he's come out of his debut that has impressed me. He was very straightforward at Windsor but the feel he has given me at home since is very good. I’m hoping the ground is on the easy side of good as he doesn't want fast ground.

Silent Escape - 15:30 Newbury

Silent Escape is a huge filly, improving all the time and is well suited by seven furlongs. She was always in control and in her comfort zone when winning at Sandown last time and, while she has a bit to do on ratings, she should be thereabouts. D'bai looks the one to beat. I think he should have won at Doncaster last time - Glorious Journey drifted into his path - and I think that's a strong piece of form. He is a massive price at 11/2.

Twisted Reality - 16:05 Newbury

She definitely wants cut in the ground. It was good to firm at Royal Ascot [when she ran in the Ribblesdale Stakes] and she's taken time to get over that. It's hard to judge her rating as she's only run three times - she won on debut, then ran okay in a listed race and disappointed at Ascot - but hopefully she's well handicapped off 92.

Neenee's Choice - 16:35 Newbury

He's got a great profile - he's won his last three starts - and this looks like a good bit of placing. He's getting the three-year-old allowance and I don't see anything that's unexposed or dangerously well handicapped, so he should be bang there. He's my best ride of the day.

Newbury, Saturday

Jabbar - 13:10 Newbury

He's a really nice type physically. I liked what I saw of him the other day and hope he'll run very well. I've not ridden him at home but he's worked well with another two-year-old with some experience, so that's a good sign. Dubai Poet had an entry in the Haynes, Hanson and Clark so they must think a bit of him and Roger Varian's two-year-olds have been taking a huge step forward from run-to-run, so he's the one to beat.

Paxos - 13:40 Newbury

He's not won on turf but he was unlucky at York as he got run out of it in a competitive race. I don't know what went wrong at Windsor - he raced a bit keenly in a messy race - but hopefully this will be more to his liking as a fast-run seven furlongs will be ideal.

King's Lynn - 14:15 Newbury

Ground on the easy side of good would be ideal for him too. He was a bit disappointing last time but he was possibly feeling the effects of a couple of quick runs at Royal Ascot and he's had a nice break since then which will have freshened him up. This is a competitive race and I'd fear Hurricane Ivor if we go flat out - it could be a bit sharp for him if we don't. Khaadem went flat out at Doncaster and broke the track record, so the drop to five was a good move - that was the first time he's ever run over five furlongs. Tis Marvellous has recaptured his form and deserves to be in the mix as well, but I think if Khaadem shows up he'll be very hard to beat.

Foxes Tales - 14:50 Newbury

I love this fellow. He works really badly at home and it's impossible to tell his wellbeing, but he looks great. I thought he was tough when he won at Haydock as he came off the bridle a long way out. I have respect for the favourite Al Aasy - they always thought he was a Group 1 horse and if he's at his best he'll be hard to beat - but Foxes Tales finds loads under pressure and is hard as nails. I thought his run at Newmarket the time before was also very good and hopefully he's still improving. I'd be hopeful that if he doesn't win he'll be second. 

Pivoine - 15:25 Newbury

The ground was too slow for him when I rode him at Sandown and he then ran very well at York. He's feasibly handicapped, travels well and is an easy ride - you just keep him on the bridle for as long as you dare. I think he's overpriced at around 14/1. Aramaic is well in and deserves a higher rating than 94. He'll be hard to beat. It's interesting that the Gosdens have kept King Leonidas in training. If they didn't like him they wouldn't have kept him in training as a four-year-old and John Gosden wouldn't keep a horse that was just a handicapper. He's probably a danger but fitness is the question after such a long time off.

Hierarchy - 16:00 Newbury

I don't think it was a very strong race at Kempton but he missed the break a beat and ran well to finish third. I think he'll improve for a bit of dig in the ground. This is very open. Dhabab ran well in the Coventry and the form of his Superlative third is very strong as we think the world of Masekela and Native Trail has won a Group 1. The drop back to six will probably suit and, on form, I think Dhabab has achieved more than his rivals.

Koy Koy - 16:35 Newbury

I was very happy with him on debut at Salisbury in a race that rode well. He just got a bit tired and I thought he'd improve a fair bit. He then ran very well when runner-up at Ascot and I think he's up to winning a race like this. Hopefully he can just relax and get behind something that goes a decent gallop. He'd be my best chance on the card.

Without Revenge - 17:05 Newbury

He ran very well when second at Goodwood. I kind of blame myself as I got there a bit too soon and I wasn't entirely happy with the ride I gave him. He's a decent horse and I thought he deserved to win at Goodwood, so I hope he'll be bang there. Roger [Charlton] wouldn't be putting me on him if he didn't think he had a good chance.