Jim Crowley: The track and ground should really suit Israr

Coral ambassador Jim Crowley has a busy day on Saturday as he previews his six rides at Doncaster.

It’s been a long week, as it’s taken a while to get over Baaeed’s defeat at Ascot last weekend. It was such a shame for Sheikha Hissa and all the fans who have got behind this horse that we couldn’t finish on a high, but the reality is I knew early on he just wasn’t going in the ground. Normally, when I ask him to stretch, he really strides out, but this time he was just going up and down, it was really hard work.

He just didn’t give me the feel that he has done in all of his other races, and it was a sign of how people have got behind him that Ascot was left feeling rather flat following his defeat. It takes nothing away from him though, he’s still been an incredible horse for me, and now we begin the search to find the next potential star.

Doncaster 1.20 – Beautiful Secret

I’ve got six rides for six different trainers here today, beginning with this filly for Saeed Bin Suroor. She’s still lightly raced and won a small race at Yarmouth in August, albeit on very different ground to what she’ll face here.

Last time out she was third in what was probably a decent little race at Hamilton, and with her sire being Invincible Spirit, I’d hope she can cope with soft ground. It’s clearly a competitive big field handicap, but for a powerful yard, she wouldn’t be without a chance.

Doncaster 1.55 – Manifested

Manifested has bits and pieces of form this season and the drop back in trip here should suit him, having run over 10 furlongs on testing ground at Nottingham last time. Three of his rivals here have won already this season, but it’s a trappy little nursery with no stand-out performer, and it wouldn’t be the biggest surprise if he ran into a place.