Hector Crouch is back from Barbados and already in the winners since heading back to blighty, with three winners at Kempton and Chelmsford in the week. Read his thoughts ahead of a busy weekend of rides, exclusively for kwiff.
Hector Crouch: Banging in The Winners, December 6th 2024Hector Crouch: Back in Britain
It was a good trip to Barbados for last week’s jockeys’ challenge with our team of ‘Internationals’ coming out on top. The team was Jim Crowley, Clifford Lee, American pilot Kevin Krigger and myself, with a winner and two thirds seeing my seal the runner-up prize in terms of individual honours.
The weather is a bit warmer over there, and I enjoyed a nice few days to recharge the batteries, but it’s been good to get back home and get back into the swing of things. I rode a good winner for Ralph Beckett at Kempton on Wednesday and followed-up with a double at Chelmsford on Thursday evening.
Hector Crouch: Newcastle
We’re up to Newcastle on Friday for four rides, including the interesting Mr Alan for in the opening ten furlongs handicap. Both of his career successes have come over today’s trip, and he’s now back to his last winning mark of 94. George Boughey has his string in good nick, and he should hopefully run well.
Another one of George’s that looks to have a good chance is Koy Koy, how has been in good form on the all-weather this winter. He won a good race at Wolverhampton and followed-up by finishing second from a 2lb higher mark. The handicapper has nudged him up another pound for that but he’s clearly thriving at present and with a good draw in stall 12 I think he has a very good chance.
Hector Crouch: Fancied Runners
My two other rides are Advertorial (3.48) for Ed Dunlop and Mighty Power (6.50) in the handicaps over six furlongs and a mile respectively. The former has been well-supported in the market but looks short enough given what he has done on a racetrack so far.
She hated that kick-back when fifth last time out at Chelmsford but should be better suited by Newcastle’s track and should have further improvement after just four career starts. Meanwhile, Mighty Power is 2lb below his last winning mark, when winning here over course and distance back in January, and has a good chance based on the best of his old form.
Hector Crouch: Wolverhampton
Saturday I’ll be at Wolverhampton for six rides and Sunlit Uplands (5.00) easily my best chance of a winner. I rode her to finish second on debut at Chelmsford, when probably a little unlucky not to make a winning debut. She was a bit green in the early stages but stayed on well when the penny dropped late on. I got off and said to the trainer I liked her, and I can hopefully go one better in what looks a very winnable maiden.
I hang around to partner Come on John (8.30) for the red-hot James Owen yard in the finale, with the gelding thriving since joining the yard from Michael Attwater. He didn’t look to stay when upped in trip last time out at Wolverhampton and boasts an excellent chance dropping back down in trip.
Hector Crouch: Good Chances
Chalk Mountain (7.00) was something of a winning machine earlier in the season, completing the hat-trick back in October. The handicapper has had his say, raising him a stone for those efforts, however he loves it here around Wolverhampton and boasts the right sort of attitude to remain competitive despite his climb up the weights.
George Boughey’s Edge Oftheunknown looks to have a great chance of defying a penalty in the 9f Novice Stakes but if he does falter then Arundel (5.30) could provide something of a shock. Ed Dunlop’s string have enjoyed a great time of things lately, and he wouldn’t need to be anything out of the ordinary to be competitive.
Stablemate No Surrender (6.00) improved for the fitting of first-time cheek-pieces when running on over a mile and a quarter last time out at Lingfield and can go one better in the mile and a half handicap. He remains relatively unexposed and open to much further improvement.
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