Jamie in bullish mood about five strong Chelmsford challenge

In the 6.45pm I ride Doctor Sardonicus for David. I think he’s the most solid ride I have on the weekend. He’ll be hard to beat. All he has to do is get a good beginning. That’s the top and bottom of it. I think he’s got a big chance of winning. He’s only had a handful of starts this year. He’s actually been hard to place as he needs fast ground. We’re back to five furlongs. Fingers crossed we can put up a bold showing. Being drawn seven is fine, particularly as the going is a bit slow in the inside at Chelmsford which nullifies any advantage of being drawn low.

I’m on Captain Cat in the 7.15pm. I actually spoke to George Baker on Thursday and he said he did actually run well last time. He just wouldn’t go by. He got there easily but just wouldn’t go by, whereas before he wasn’t even getting there in his races. He’s drawn one which isn’t ideal as generally he likes to challenge out wide around horses. That makes it a bit more difficult but with the blinkers on maybe he can come through them a bit more tonight. It’s a watching brief for him really. I thought the Jane Cecil horse Western Reserve would be hard to beat. He was very impressive at The July meeting. He looks a class horse and is bred for the surface.

I ride Majeed in the 7.45pm. He won at Chelmsford on his first start of the year and I won on him last time out. He’s only up 3lbs. Weight isn’t the issue with Majeed. It’s whether he’s in the mood or not. He has a really good turn of foot. I’m not too bothered about the draw as he likes to challenge out wide as he’s a bit timid. He is basically a pace horse. If we get a good even pace he can then run them down and looking at the race we should get a good pace. I’m really looking forward to riding him. Him and Doctor Sardonicus would be my best two rides of the day.

At the end of the night I’m on Opito Bay in the 8.45pm. She ran nicely in the spring. She has a strange pedigree. She has plenty of stamina on the dam’s side but is by a sprinter. A mile and a quarter seems well within her range. It’s her first time in a handicap and she doesn’t look too badly treated but will just see how she goes. She may have an each way chance.

I start off the day at Newmarket. I like Deauville in the Royal Lodge. He’s a full brother to The Corsican who I won on last week. He’s the second foal. He’s one of those horses that when he beat Sanus Per Aqam at Leopardstown everyone was shocked, but I don’t think anyone at Ballydoyle was shocked. It’s great that Doctor Hay has got a horse. I think the step up to a mile is good for him, and obviously the galloping nature of Newmarket should be perfect. I’d be disappointed if he doesn’t win.

In the Cheveley Park I thought William Haggis’s filly, Besharah, has stepped up her form recently. She got beat by Illuminate but her last two runs in the Princess Margaret and then at York have been impressive. At York she was tight for room, tight for room, and then she got out and showed a great turn of speed. She’s having her seventh start of the year but maybe she’ stepped forward more than the rest of them. Then Shalaa in the Middle Park will be a walkover.

My Cambridgeshire mount, Energia Davos was just ready to have a run when he won at Ascot after six months off the track. We were obviously happy he’d won but we hadn’t expected it. I had ridden him a few times at home and we were just hoping he’d finish in the first four. It was a pleasant surprise that he was fit enough to get the job done that day. He did it well but obviously this is a totally different test. He’s got form at a mile and a quarter, and I always think you need that for the Cambridgeshire as it’s basically a nine furlong sprint, with 35 runners all going a good pace. I think it should set up well for him. We’re drawn 15 so we can go either side and he’s a hold up horse so we’ll take our time. It’s never easy and he’s got plenty of weight. Abseil is a bit of a sucker horse, as he’s always one you think is going to do better. He should go well. I won the race once before for Alan Swinbank.

My other ride at Newmarket is on Duchy, first time on the track, for Michael Bell in the maiden at 4.25pm. I’ve ridden her at home and she’s a horse for the future. She’s a little bit weak still so I can see her running a nice race but she’ll be a good filly next year.

Jamie