It’s been a quiet week, but I had a good weekend last weekend with Tommy’s Oscar winning at Doncaster on ITV and I rode Glittering Love to win on Sunday.
Catterick was fairly mediocre, and I only had the one ride at Leicester on Wednesday. There hasn’t been much happening through the week, so I took a couple of days off. Hopefully I can ride a few winners before Christmas!
I’m at Haydock tomorrow where I have six rides.
Saturday 18th December – Haydock:
12.20pm – Dreams of Home
Dreams Of Home is a nice horse. He won his first three hurdle races, but he probably wasn’t as fit as we hoped he would be when he ran at Carlisle. 2m4f around a stiff track didn’t suit him then but he put it right at Ayr last time out. It’s a competitive race, despite the small field but I’d be fairly hopeful he’ll run a big race. He’s probably my best ride of the day so I hope he can do the business.
12.55pm – Miss Milano
Miss Milano is a nice filly. On her first and only run she finished 3rd at Ayr. Interestingly I won bumpers on her two half-sisters, and they improved with racing. This is a Listed race and there are horses in here with a lot of experience, but hopefully Miss Milano will run well.
1.30pm – Word Has It
Word Has It’s form is strong over hurdles. He has a rating of 130 having won his last two starts over hurdles and schools well at home. He makes his debut over fences in a handicap tomorrow which has its pros and cons but at least they’ll go a good gallop. He needed his first run last year but he’s having his first run of the season a little later this year, so he should be fit enough to do himself justice. He should run well.
2.05pm – Hart Of Steel
Hart Of Steel is a grand horse. He won two starts ago at Carlisle in a muddling race. He dropped back in trip last time out at Hexham, but probably bumped into a well-handicapped horse that day. The ground, the trip and the track will not be an issue for him. It’s a step up in class, but we think he can deal with that – he could run really well.
2.40pm – Crixus’s Escape
Crixus’s Escape is a horse I’ve won a couple of Novice hurdles on, many moons ago. He was going well in this race last year when he fell going down the back straight. For whatever reason, he hasn’t shown his form too well this year, but he is 11lb lower in the handicap this time round. He won’t mind the ground and the track shouldn’t be an issue. This is a slightly better renewal but at 25/1 he’s a massive each-way price. I’m led to believe he’s working well and has improved a lot for his first run of the season.
3.15pm – Sultans Pride
Sultans Pride won well at Kelso the last day and took a good blow, so I’d like to think he’ll improve plenty. The 2nd horse has come out and won since so the form looks good. It’s a step up in grade but I think he’s an improving horse despite the fact he is already nine years old. I’m hopeful he’ll run a big race.