This week started off slowly with the day off on Monday and a few OK rides on Tuesday, but it picked up at Cheltenham. I always go there hopeful rather than confident but rode two nice winners and three 2nd’s. They all ran well and hopefully can maintain that form.
The jump jockey’s title advantage is currently with Harry Skelton but I always felt this week could potentially have been difficult for me because there were a lot of southern meetings. We’re now back at northern meetings and I have plenty of rides with seven today, five tomorrow, a good few on Sunday and lots next week. I’m hopeful that if I have a good week and stay in one piece, I can give him a run for his money. This time last week I was three in front not two behind – it can turn on its head very quickly and I won’t be giving up.
Harry Skelton’s double on yesterday’s card saw the challenger shortened into a 1-8 chance to win the title having stretched his lead to three winners, but Brian Hughes won’t like down and he knocked the deficit back down to two.
See the full round-up here
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I’m heading to Bangor tomorrow where I have five rides…
Saturday 17th April – Bangor
11:25: Rubytwo
She’s a bumper winner who’s won over hurdles at Newcastle this season and runs off a nice mark tomorrow. I like to think she’ll be competitive in a race like this. The good ground will suit her and we’re hopeful of a big run.
11:55: Kitty Hall
She’s another bumper winner who just hasn’t run as well as we’d hoped over hurdles yet. She’s fitted with blinkers for the first time tomorrow which we think will be a positive. The favourite, Rukwa, won at Huntingdon the other day and gets in without a penalty. We think this filly is a lot better than what she’s shown so far so off this rating, we hope she’d be competitive.
12:25: Discko Des Plages
He’s not a horse I’ve ridden before but his form looks consistent. He’s been running well on very different types of tracks so you’d be hoping, if he’s in a similar vein of form, he’ll run a big race.
12:55: Bird On The Wire
He’s a winning pointer and finished 2nd in a handicap hurdle two starts ago. We felt he didn’t handle the undulating track of Carlisle, so we’re hoping going back to a flat track like Bangor will see him return to his Catterick form. If he can reproduce that we’d like to think he has an each-way chance.
13:25: Armattiekan
He’s been a fantastic and very consistent horse this year – he’s won a couple of chases and a jumper’s bumper. He was a good winner the last day at Market Rasen over 2m and has gone up 5lbs for that. Stepping back up to 2m4f shouldn’t be a problem. He’s been a great horse for his owners this season so we’re hoping he can maintain his form and run another big race.