Yearly Archives: 2022

This race comes up a little soon for Yorktown after his good run around here on Saturday. He was staying on late and the extra furlong can only be to his advantage. Big chance if he has fully recovered from those exertions.

This race comes up a little soon for Yorktown after his good run around here on Saturday. He was staying on late and the extra furlong can only be to his advantage. Big chance if he has fully recovered from those exertions.

Royle Steel was promising in his junior bumper at Doncaster, staying on so we had him handy on jumps debut at Wetherby but he was very free and ran into a brick wall on the heavy ground. We will ride him more conservatively today and hopefully he will come home better.

Author's Dream was not helped in a tactical race around Wolverhampton last time where he was outspeeded in the straight. He was much more at home previously on his first try at the Tapeta surface here however winning nicely. It's slightly shorter today but he should hold every chance of getting back in the winner's…

Gallopade won impressively on racecourse debut at Fakenham in November. She has continued to impress at home and we are looking forward to seeing if he can defy the penalty.

This looks a very modest novice handicap chase for mares and while Rosearelli is nothing special she did well enough on her first two starts over hurdles. I was probably a bit quick with her for the third run at Leicester but she's had a good break now. Each-way chances in a moderate race.

I had this race in mind for Sparkle In His Eye immediately after he won over a mile at Kempton where the boy gave him a great ride. The seven here should be fine if he gets him out from his good draw with the same alacrity and he will be staying on strongly up…

Houston Texas has run a couple of okay races and did well last time when second at Newcastle. If he repeats that he won't be too far away today.

Applaus made a good return when second at Carlisle and I probably ran him too quickly to give his locally-based owners a chance to see him at Wetherby over Christmas. He's freshened up nicely and on a course he loves could go very close.

Houston Texas has run a couple of okay races and did well last time when second at Newcastle. If he repeats that he won't be too far away today.

Captain Cattistock has been a decent long-distance hunter chaser in the past but switching to open handicap company has so far been relatively unrewarding. He is right at the foot of the weights for this marathon and while the trip should not be a problem, the opposition is talented. Small chance.

If we are going to have a winner today it will be Schiehallion Munro who will not mind the ground and goes well around Wetherby. Fergal's horse is the danger but Schiehallion is in great order and will take some stopping.

Glen Forsa drops back in trip today after his rider came in following his run at Doncaster and said he didn't stay. He is down another few pounds and we are looking for a good run to help qualify for the final of the conditional jockeys' veterans' series.

It's getting to the stage with Trouble Shooter that maybe he is coming to the end of the line. He needs further than the trip he tried on the all-weather at Kempton the other day, but had run reasonably well under a boy having his first ever ride when falling late on around here before…

Feel The Pinch has been gradually running into form but also slipping down the ratings since returning from a near two-year absence. He could make the frame in a tight handicap.

I couldn't entirely trust Freethinker but he certainly ran his best race yet when second at Lingfield in November. The form has worked out well but it is still odd and indeed unfair that in the new ratings today he has been raised 3lb on that rather ancient collateral form. At least it means he's…

We have had to take our time with this horse who will no doubt improve with age. It is good to get Star Flyer on the track for the first time today and it will be interesting to see what he can do.

Zestful Hope is a big baby who unluckily fell on the home turn in his bumper but showed promise when third at Catterick. He will need to do more to figure today but he is a promising type with improvement to come.

Dockpickedme won nicely over 2m4f in the mud here last month. The stretching out in distance is compensated by the much faster going and he can follow up in a tight handicap.

Imperial Alcazar has been a tad disappointing but he loves the track and the trip could prove perfect for him. Each-way hopes off his tough mark.