No jockey is flying higher than Hector Crouch at present, with the Newmarket based pilot operating at a 30% strike-rate with 11 winners from his last 30 rides and a treble at Southwell on Thursday. He sits down with kwiff to preview his weekend rides at Southwell and Wolverhampton.
Hector Crouch Weekend Rides: Century Approaches
I’m on 95 now for the season (UK winners in 2024) and I’m a lot more confident of reaching the century than I was this time last week. I think it’s 99 worldwide, and I’d be very surprised if I didn’t reach 100 in that bracket, but I’m treating it as 5 more to go before I can raise the bat aloft.
I had no real goals in terms of total winners at the start of the year, apart form bettering last year’s total, so I’m obviously delighted at how it’s gone. We had a slow start to the year, before finishing with a strong second half of the season. Hopefully we can pick up a few winners this weekend, and get over the line next week.
Weekend Rides: TIempo Allegre (11.00 Southwell)
I won aboard Tiempo Allegre last week at Southwell over seven furlongs and think she will benefit for the step up in trip to a mile. The runner-up that day re-opposes on 6lb better terms due to our penalty, but I think we have enough class to hopefully repeat the form.
Weekend Rides: Tenyatta (11.30 Southwell)
James Owen has been very good to me and I was lucky to ride another for Deva Racing at Chelmsford midweek (5 winners from 11 rides) for the yard. I partner Tenyatta in the Mile Handicap bidding to end a bit of bad luck for the filly, who narrowly went down here two starts ago. She disappointed at Wolverhampton but that wasn’t a truly run race, and I think she has the potential to be much better than that.
Weekend Rides: Blinky (13:07 Southwell)
Ed Walker’s Blinky was a winner earlier in the season on turf and was far from disgraced when running in nurseries over the summer. Unlike the others here, he’s actually won a race, which may stand him in good stead. This represents a drop in grade and from a good draw, I think we’ll try and ride him a bit more prominently.
Weekend Rides: No Surrender (13:42 Southwell)
First-time headgear seemed to have the desired effect on No Surrender (1.42) who stayed on well over a mile and a quarter last time out at Lingfield. The gelding is still relatively unexposed and can improve stepping back up in trip to a mile and a half.
Weekend Rides: Jungle Cruise (14:52 Southwell)
It looks a hot maiden for this time of year, with some respected runners from the yards of Roger Varian and John Gosden, but Jungle Cruise has reportedly done some nice work at Michael Bell’s and it will be interesting to see how forward he is on racecourse debut.
Weekend Rides: Tradesman (15:27 Southwell)
Dashing Panther would have been a warm favourite for this, so him being a non-runner helps us out a bit. He was a serial winner on the all-weather last year, and the handicapper punished him accordingly, but he’s got strong form over today’s marathon trip and should strip fitter for his recent return after a break.
Hector Crouch Weekend Rides: Wolverhampton (Saturday)
Weekend Rides: Coma Cluster (17:15 Wolverhampton)
He is a nice pick up for trainer George Boughey, from the retiring Sir Michael Stoute and probably sets the standard from his two runs. The two unraced fillies are bred to be very good, but I think we go there with a good chance.
Weekend Rides: Happy Hadeda (17:45 Wolverhampton)
First of all, my thoughts are with connections with the owner Sir Thomas Pilkington unfortunately passing away in the week. He was a great man, and I’d love to hopefully ride a very apt winner on a tough week for the family.
I was really impressed by her on her comeback run at Kempton, when I more or less went from last to first on her to score impressively. She was a complete no show last time out when lit up early and never really involved. She has a nice draw and will hopefully get a strong pace, and something to aim at. I think she boasts a good chance.
Weekend Rides: Dark Mystery (18:15 Wolverhampton)
Funnily enough, I rode Dark Mystery to win at Newbury’s Hungerford Meeting back in 2022, and it’s still his sole career success to date. He stays well and likes the track, having been placed on his last two visits here. He’ll probably be ridden handily, and hope he can show that he’s well handicapped.
Weekend Rides: One More Wave (18:45 Wolverhampton)
One More Wave was well-fancied by me in last week’s blog if you had read prior to his trip to Southwell last Friday, when never really going a yard. I know he’s won over five furlongs, but I don’t think he’s seen to his best over the minimum trip. He’s back up to six again at Wolverhampton and is still well–handicapped to run a good grace from the plumb draw in stall one.
Weekend Rides: Overnight Oats (20:15 Wolverhampton)
Readers of this column will probably agree that I am seldom bullish about an upcoming ride, however I’d be very surprised if we get beat on Saturday. He’s in sensational form at present, completing the hat-trick last week at Lingfield and only up 3lb in search of the four-timer.
He’s a bit keen, so we’ll need them to go a good gallop but he’s in great form and, due to not winning his races by far, is still in 0-60 company. The James Owen yard are in great nick at present and hopefully he can do the business for them at the weekend.
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