Group 1 winning jockey Hector Crouch is back with kwiff to look at this weekend’s rides in Newbury, and look ahead to Sunday’s Newmarket Open Day.
Hector Crouch: Newbury Weekend Preview
A quick word on Stanhope Gardens who we lost in an accident on the gallops in the week. I thought we had a great chance going into Epsom, and he ran a great race to finish fifth in what is working out to be a good Derby. It’s desperately disappointing for all concerned in the week – we thought he had the potential to be a Group 1 horse. We’ll never know just how good he could have been.
Doncaster was a bit frustrating last week, with nothing really going to plan, so it was nice to ride a couple of good winners in the week.with Gold Star Hero and Miss Wong winning well for the yards of Michael Bell and David Simcock respectively.
Hector Crouch: Friday Rides
I was due to head up to Ayr for a couple of days this week, but I’ll be much closer to home and are very much looking forward to riding Tierra Del Toro (3.30) in the Haynes, Hanson and Clark on Friday. The race has long been a pointer to potential pattern class performers, and we hope to have on with this nicely-bred colt. He needs soft ground, hence why he’s ran twice on the all-weather thus far this season and built nicely on his debut to shed the maiden tag last time out at Kempton.
He now steps out onto the turf for the first time in public and looks to have conditions to suit; there’s plenty of juice in the ground and Newbury and he should improve for the step up in trip to a mile. The Godolphin horse has been well backed, and there’s already a couple of 100+ rated horses in opposition but it’s a good opportunity to see where he stands amongst his peers and steps up into group company potentially thereafter.
Hector Crouch: Saturday Rides
There’s a good book of rides awaiting me on Saturday touchwood, starting with Kerdos (1.30) in the opening Gp 3 contest over the minimum trip. Clive Cox’s horse are in good nick, and he’s shown a consistent level of form all season. He is probably a better horse with a bit of cut in the ground so should appreciate conditions this weekend and a replication of his excellent 5th in the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot should see him go very close.
I’m very sweet on the chances of Majestic Warrior (2.05) in The Autumn Cup after an excellent run last time out in The Ebor at York. James Tate’s 5yo has had a couple of niggles, hence why he’s had just five career starts, but put in a career best last time out in one of the toughest handicaps of the season and continues to progress with every start. He looked to stay the trip well at York last time, and will love the ground here. He has a big chance.
It’s always an honour to put the royal silks on and I hope to see Food for Thought (3.50) go close on debut in the 7f Novice Stakes. She’s a very well bred filly, being by Dubawi and out of a Galileo mare, so we have high hopes for. This trip will probably be a starting point for her, and fingers crossed she goes well on her first day at school.
The last ride is a bit of a mystery with not a lot known about Tiger (5.00) for Ian Williams in the closing mile handicap. He changed hands for 45,000 gns having previously raced just four times in France. It looks a fact-finding mission from an opening mark of 83.
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