Jim Crowley blog: ‘I expect him to go very close’

Coral is back with another Jim Crowley blog, with the giving his insights into the prospects of his rides at Newmarket on Friday.

I ride Whip Cracker for Richard Hughes in the Listed race, Richard’s horses are absolutely flying right now, so I’m delighted to be back on him after we finished second in the Fielden Stakes here last month.  That race rode like a decent race, we had Caviar Heights behind us that day, and he reopposes here, but I’d be confident we can confirm that running.

Although we’re currently rated four pounds higher than Endless Victory, the Godolphin colt has looked good winning his two starts, and looks the one we have to beat, but I’m looking forward to this and expect him to go very well.

Whipcracker odds: 7/2

Naqeeb is a gelded half-brother to our stars Baaeed and Hukum, so while he’s not yet reached the heights of that pair, he is a very nice horse in his own right, who won a couple of times last year. He was generally very consistent, so I was disappointed with his last run of the season, at Ascot, when he just didn’t seem right but still finished third.

He’s been working well this spring, the trip suits him, he’s versatile ground-wise, so in an open looking heat, I’d be hopeful he can run a big race.

Naqeeb odds: 5/1

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