Jockey Hector Crouch is back with his regular weekend preview, heading to Newbury this afternoon before a trip up to Nottingham on Saturday. Read his exclusive preview in his weekly kwiff column.
Hector Crouch Weekend Preview: April 17th 2026
It was a good week with one winner from one ride at Newmarket’s Craven Meeting with the nice filly Darn Hot Gallop, winning at a big price on seasonal debut. She’s now unbeaten in three starts and after a winning handicap debut might have eyes on some black type for connections. Cool Molly was another nice winner at Southwell midweek, winning from a career-high mark of 75 and is another that is going in the right direction.
Hector Crouch Weekend Preview: Newbury (Friday)
I’ve hopefully got a good book of rides, with some exciting young horses on display at Newbury starting with Blessed Voyager (1.57) making his racecourse debut in the opening 5f Maiden. He’s been working nicely at home, and doing similar work to The Brocklesby runner-up Dance a Jig.Â
Bundok (2.32) is another debutant who prepares for her first day of school in a warm looking renewal of the 7f Maiden Fillies’ Stakes. It looks a strong renewal with the Juddmonte filly Sapphire Secret costing 400,000 gns at the sales, and Seet costing similar in the colours of Sheikh Hamdan. The well-backed Synchronicity cost a pretty penny at the sales and looks like the one to beat if the market is to be believed.
Another nice newcomer from Valmont is the well-related Marianita (3.07) in the Fillies’ Maiden over a mile and a quarter. She’s been going nicely at home and her pedigree probably suggests she might like a bit more dig in the ground. I think she’s a nice prospect and we’ll know where we stand after her first start on a racecourse.
I was disappointed with Joulany (3.42) when a beaten favourite at York late last year, but everyone is entitled an off day and he’s good enough to bounce back. The form of that race has worked out well, the first and the second both rated 100+, and I think he’ll be even better as a 3yo.
He can get a bit hot so a first-time hood might help him, but he’s undoubtedly got so much ability. There’s some nice last time out winners but we’re in receipt of 4lb and I think he’ll go well. Should he do the business here, we’ll hopefully look at a Derby trial and then who knows? Let’s see him back this week first.
The opening mark of Caballo Grande (4.55) seems a bit stiff on paper but he’s got a lot of ability and should go well on handicap debut in the competitive 7f Handicap. He followed-up his maiden victory at Southwell with further success stepping up in trip last time out at Wolverhampton, beating a nice horse of Richard Hughes’ by five lengths. A mark of 95 looks a bit steep but Michael Bell’s horses have started well and he has a good chance if translating his all-weather form to the turf.
Hector Crouch Weekend Preview: Nottingham (Saturday)
There’s hopefully a nice book of rides at Nottingham on Saturday with Concealed Passion (4.05) booked for his first day of school and a nice starting point in the Mile Maiden. She’s been working with Marianita at home so we may get a clue to how she’ll run 24 hours earlier. She’s got a nice pedigree, by Night of Thunder and related to some nice black type performers so fingers crossed she can go well on debut en route to bigger and better things.
Mehmas Engine (4.37) was a touch disappointing last time out at Kempton – in a race where I rode the winner – but the first three home look smart and he should be better than that performance. It will be interesting to see how he runs now making his turf debut, and I think connections are expecting him to improve further.
Clive Cox’s Seven of Hearts (5.12) is on something of a fact-finding mission on handicap debut after three runs in maiden company but has been given a rather inviting opening mark (57) and is likely to suit the drop back in trip.
Kokanee heads the weights for the Mile Handicap and is a horse I know well after riding several times for trainer Ed Dunlop last season. He has been raised 2lb for going close on seasonal debut and is respected but I think Ocean’s Five (6.15) is handicapped to go well for trainer Brian Meehan.
I rode him when third on his return from almost 18 months off late last year at Chelmsford, and thought he would strip fitter for the run. He’s unexposed after just four career starts and could cause an upset from a revised mark of 75.
Caph Star (6.45) looked a potentially nice horse with former Roger Varian and has clearly had his niggles but has come back from over three years off, with a new career-low mark. He should improve for the step up in trip and can hopefully go well at a price.
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