Jim Crowley: He’s unexposed and a very exciting colt

Jockey and Coral ambassador Jim Crowley discusses the chances of his three rides at Royal Ascot on Tuesday.

2.30 – Mutasaabeq

This is the biggest, most important week of the year for all of us involved in Flat racing, and as with the jumps world at Cheltenham, one winner here this week can make all the difference.

I’ve got some exciting rides to look forward to later in the week, with Al Asifah, added to the Ribblesdale field after her impressive Goodwood win, and Hukum just two that you’ll hopefully be reading about here in the next few days.

The meeting begins with the Group One Queen Anne, and I think I have a decent each-way chance on Mutasaabeq.

He ended last season and began this with Group Two wins, but things just didn’t pan out for him in the Lockinge, albeit he still ran a solid race to finish fifth. His defeat of Native Trail at Newmarket before that is decent form, and we’re a much bigger price than that one here, so I hope we can outrun those odds.

He’ll have the blinkers on again and being drawn in 10 gives me options as to which side we might aim for. As you’d expect, there are plenty of classy rivals, with Modern Games and Inspiral worthy favourites, but if my fellow runs how he did at Newmarket, I think he could have place chances at least.

4.20 – Mostabshir

The second Group One over a mile today is the St James’s Palace Stakes, and with two Guineas winners lining up, it promises to be a proper test.

I was on the ‘wrong one’ at York last time, when Kathab finished third behind Mostabshir, but the latter did it nicely that day and earned his chance at the top level, when he could have had other options here this week.