York Reflections
It was nice to get a winner at the Ebor meeting with Farhan in the big mile and a half handicap on the Friday. John [Butler] only put him in because he was running out of time and wanted to get a run into him before the autumn.
This horse ideally needs a bit of cut, but York always put on nice, safe ground and John said he was pleasing him at home. I was surprised how well he kicked towards the end of the race, but they went a relentless gallop and that normally sets it up for a closer.
York is such a good track. The facilities are excellent, particularly for jockeys. Prize money is top class and it really is everything that racing should be. Let’s hope more racecourses follow suit.
Silver Samurai ran a great race in the six furlong sprint on Saturday. He’s a hold up horse who travels very well. He came with his run and got to the front, but the horses around him dropped away and we got nabbed towards the end.
It was still a very good run and I’m sure this horse can win a big one like a Wokingham, Stewards’ Cup or Ayr Gold Cup one day. As the long as the ground isn’t too soft, he could go to Ayr next month. If not, he could just be put away for next year.
Fixture List
I said on Twitter the other day that the RCA are just avoiding the main question that needs to be answered. Okay, prize money is going up a tiny bit, but it was already pitiful.
The main problem is the racecourses just want more fixtures and more racing. Why? Because they get paid more the more races are on.
It’s a disgrace and it comes down to pure greed. Even bookmakers are saying there’s too much racing now because, ultimately, small field sizes are no good for anyone.
RCA. Mr Armstrong avoiding answering questions and passing the bat back to trainers !! Too much racing even bookmakers are saying it !! Utter rubbish talk…. 👎🏽💩 https://t.co/HwURSai1wD
— Neil Callan (@neilcallan78) August 24, 2022
The BHA are the rule makers, they should be stepping forward and making the executive decision to do the right thing, not just saying “we’re reviewing it”. It needs strong leaders to make the right decisions now.
Former BHA leaders like Peter Savill and Paul Roy have come out and said it needs to be fixed. They’ve made some very sensible proposals, but no-one is listening.
I don’t know why that is – is it political? Is it ignorance? Either way, it needs to be sorted quickly.
Windsor on Saturday
I’ve got a full book of rides at Windsor on Saturday, starting with LUCKY AVA in the five furlong handicap (3:55). I won on her at Chelmsford in June and she has a fair bit of speed.
In truth, her best form has come on the all-weather, but if she can reproduce that run on turf, then she’d have a decent chance.
It’s nice to pick up a few rides for Paul & Oliver Cole and DESERT FIGHTER makes his debut in the first division of the six furlong novice (4:30).
This is his first day at school, so we’ll know more about him afterwards.
MAJESTIC NEWLAW, also for the Coles, takes his chance in the second division (5:02). He has the benefit of experience, having finished down the field in a seven furlong novice at Salisbury last month.
Hopefully he will have learnt from that and can improve in this.
I’m on NEPTUNE LEGEND for Tony Carroll in the six furlong handicap (5:34).
He ran pretty well over course and distance two starts back, so we know he doesn’t have any problems with the course. It looks an open race.
FELIX goes for the Listed August Stakes (6:05). He’s a grand old horse and ran really well to be fifth with me in the Group 1 Jebel Hatta back in March.
He’s a globetrotting horse and Marco [Botti] has done very well with him. This is his first start for a while, so he could be a bit rusty, but he looks as well as ever and he has won after a break a few times in the past.
MAJESTIC DAWN should go well in the Group 3 Winter Hill Stakes (6:35). He’s a nice horse who won well at Goodwood earlier in the season.
He was only just touched off at Deauville in a Group 3 a couple of weeks ago and he’ll certainly appreciate the slower ground here. Grocer Jack looks the one we all have to beat, but Majestic Dawn is a nice ride to get.
I won on LE REVEUR at Doncaster in June and hopefully we can get the job done again in the mile handicap (7:05).
I was on board again when he was a respectable fourth behind Ostilio at Yarmouth a few days later. He looks to have an each-way chance in a wide open race.
My final ride on a busy evening is HEROIC HOLLY for Alan King in the finale (7:35). This will be my first sit on her and hopefully she’ll run well, but she’s taking on a few recent winners and looks to have a tough task on her hands.
*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*
FIRST PUBLISHED: 26th August 2022
